Lady Star Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Even if you were part of the actual mining community? On the mining estate that I lived on as a child ( I moved out before the strikes) the few that were scabs were forced out of the village. Their windows were put through, their houses were set on fire, they were beaten up, their kids and wifes were beaten up (by other kids and wifes). To the best of my knowledge they still haven't shown their faces in the local pubs for fear of reprisals - most of the striking miners also had a family to feed and support and those same families supported the strike and despised scabs and still do. I saw this behaviour too - and isn't it ignorant? Wanting all your neighbours to share the same life as you? Share your politics? I have a mate whose Dad was on strike til the last week, when he was about to lose his home and his kids were in hospital due to their having too little food... His oldest friends never spoke to him again, yet cared little for his troubles at home, as they were still managing... Too many pious fools, and not enough thought for others... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0742Sheff Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Even if you were part of the actual mining community? On the mining estate that I lived on as a child ( I moved out before the strikes) the few that were scabs were forced out of the village. Their windows were put through, their houses were set on fire, they were beaten up, their kids and wifes were beaten up (by other kids and wifes). To the best of my knowledge they still haven't shown their faces in the local pubs for fear of reprisals - most of the striking miners also had a family to feed and support and those same families supported the strike and despised scabs and still do. That doesn't sound like solidarity to me. It sounds more like a mob enforced dictatorship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert_Baehr Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Just as King Coal required. Nothing to do with the workers - NO effort to be spared to make Arthur look good! He will indeed go down in history. Arthur Scargill: The Tosser who deprived the working man of a decent chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Sidney Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 What happened back in the 70's and 80's is now classed as history. (we too are relics.) There have been numerous 'history' books written about that period. Which of those history books shows (or even argues) that Scargill was right? Scargill was a self-serving greedy back-stabber who used the members of his union to further his own desires. Having lived as a leech on those union members for many years, he's now trying to sue that union to boost his own private wealth. A despicable little man. I think he was right in the assertion that the government was going to close pits. They closed. Can't be more emphatic than that. As for him being a despicable little man. Did you know him? I didn't either but I do know someone who use to work for him and she said he was the nicest of men and a great boss... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Sidney Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I saw this behaviour too - and isn't it ignorant? Wanting all your neighbours to share the same life as you? Share your politics? I have a mate whose Dad was on strike til the last week, when he was about to lose his home and his kids were in hospital due to their having too little food... His oldest friends never spoke to him again, yet cared little for his troubles at home, as they were still managing... Too many pious fools, and not enough thought for others... I bet most of the men who worked during the strike wish they hadn't now. Its funny how we support groups overseas in their battles with their governments. But not our own. Look at what Thatcherism has created, a monster.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I bet most of the men who worked during the strike wish they hadn't now. If your words were turned around, if Scargill hadn't taken on the government for his own agenda, if people had worked instead of striked, if unions hadn't played politics with peoples lives... I wonder if there would still be a successful mining industry today and if their associated communities would be thriving. I wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Sidney Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 If your words were turned around, if Scargill hadn't taken on the government for his own agenda, if people had worked instead of striked, if unions hadn't played politics with peoples lives... I wonder if there would still be a successful mining industry today and if their associated communities would be thriving. I wonder. That's fair enough but at the expense of devastating communities. They were striking because they wanted to work. I wouldn't blame anyone for striking in such circumstances, they were doing what they felt best for themselves, their families and future generations. I think ordinary working people, would be much better off today if they'd have brought down the government.. Perhaps the coal board would have been worse off but I'm not as bothered about them as the miners... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheffvan 1 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Even if you were part of the actual mining community? On the mining estate that I lived on as a child ( I moved out before the strikes) the few that were scabs were forced out of the village. Their windows were put through, their houses were set on fire, they were beaten up, their kids and wifes were beaten up (by other kids and wifes). To the best of my knowledge they still haven't shown their faces in the local pubs for fear of reprisals - most of the striking miners also had a family to feed and support and those same families supported the strike and despised scabs and still do. What you describe ,and seem to support isnt solidarity among workers, its nothing more than a dictatorship and rule by force. I was in my earlt teens during the strikes ,and i remember , Scargills "Heavies" visiting our village on a regular basis ,on the pretext of drumming up support for the strikes ,yet really they were there to "Lean" on people who wernt in favour of his stance. The man was ,and is nothing more than a bully who brought about the downfall of the coal industry in this country in his pursuit of trying to feather his own next and gain celeb like status. I live only a mile or so from Scargills plush ,massive country house ,with its long drive,sweeping grounds and every time i drive past ,it sickens me to think he had the nerve to say what he did was for the working man.Yet there are still pleny who support this fool and cant see he was only interested in lining his own pockets back in the 80`s, something he is still doing to this day with his court action against the withdrawel of his "Perks". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman62 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Great post Frank:thumbsup: Yeah it was all political, she knew she had to beat the miners, they were the strongest union at the time, if she crushed that union then all the others were doomed to fail, unfortunately she won, and then it led the door open to all the nasty Thatcher policies, "The I'm alright Jack attitude", where everyone would step on each other to get their pockets full of money, and so it is today, we have got numpties stating on SF they would not hesitate to cross a picket line, why do the working class fight each other so much.? why do they not think about their fellow working man.? I wish the working class man would look back about fourty years, he could learn so much from the past, instead we have the Thatcher mentality..."I'M ALL RIGHT JACK"..!!! :huh: That's ok but you've got to ask yourself why didn't the trade union movement didn't get behind the miners, and why was there a breakaway miners union formed. Scargill by his methods and conduct ruined it for everyone he was the best weapon in the Tory armoury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman62 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 What you describe ,and seem to support isnt solidarity among workers, its nothing more than a dictatorship and rule by force. I was in my earlt teens during the strikes ,and i remember , Scargills "Heavies" visiting our village on a regular basis ,on the pretext of drumming up support for the strikes ,yet really they were there to "Lean" on people who wernt in favour of his stance. The man was ,and is nothing more than a bully who brought about the downfall of the coal industry in this country in his pursuit of trying to feather his own next and gain celeb like status. I live only a mile or so from Scargills plush ,massive country house ,with its long drive,sweeping grounds and every time i drive past ,it sickens me to think he had the nerve to say what he did was for the working man.Yet there are still pleny who support this fool and cant see he was only interested in lining his own pockets back in the 80`s, something he is still doing to this day with his court action against the withdrawel of his "Perks". Very well put, I just hope more people get the message about the real scargill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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