Solidarity forever : the struggle goes on

The Miners Strike continues, with the emphasis being on ‘guerrilla’ tactics. While it is clear that the Coal Board intends to step up their war of attrition against the mining communities, this will be met in turn by a campaign of retribution, sabotage, selective strike action, go-slows, work-to-rules, etc.

The government mistakenly thinks that they have incurred a resounding defeat on the miners and resistance movement that sprang up in the wake of the strike. they have witnessed a strategic withdrawal in order to re-group, re-organise and prepare for the next onslaught that the forces of the state have lined up against the working and unwaged class.

The Support Groups should stay mobilised, help out with the current hardship, provide rearguard support (eg, revenge attacks, etc) and help consolidate the resistance in readiness for the next time round. But more importantly, during this interim phase, we have to construct a viable alternative to reformist trade unionism. As one Kellingley woman bitterly commented, much of the fund raising by the soft left was but ‘conscience money’, given in lieu of the only effective physical support needed – widescale industrial action. If this government or any future government is ever to be seriously challenged in this country then, short of a popular uprising, it is a fact, that a rank and file movement of industrial solidarity needs to be created to ensure that never again will weak-kneed bureaucrats or class traitors be allowed to stand in the way of justice. 

Black Flag : Anarchist Fortnightly No 128 18/3/1985 https://libcom.org/article/black-flag-128-18-3-1985