Fig 1: Nottingham Area NUM banner. Photo Credit – David Amos
End of the 1984-85 Miners Strike
The 1984-85 miners strike ended on 3rd March 1985 following a NUM Special Delgate Conference (SDC) which voted 98 – 91 for an organised return to work with no agreement on pit closures and manpower reductions.
Fig 2: NCB ‘end of strike letter’ from NCB Chairman, Ian McGreogor, to all NCB employees – March 1985. Source – David Amos collection
Fig 3: Minutes of Nottingham Area NUM Special Council Meeting, 2nd March 1985. Source – Union of Democratic Mineworkers (Nottingham Section), Minutes 1985, p.85-87.
Fig 4: Artcles from ‘The Price of Peace’ end of 1984-85 strike report, Notts Free Press, 8th March 1985. p8-9.
Fig 5: ‘The War’s not over’ say strikers. Source – Notts Free Press, 8th March 1985, p. 11.
Fig 6: Document relative to East Midlands NUM Areas post 1984-85 miners strike collective moderate pact. Source – David Amos collection.
The long strike is over. It has been severley damaging to the relationships between all of us who work in the industry. Workers have not just been in dispute with management; miners have been set against fellow miner, creating terrible strain to individuals, families and communities. Source: NCB letter to all employees, March 1985.
“There should have been a negotiated settlement. I am sorry to see the strike end in such an untidy way and feel this has been the worst possible ending”. Roy Lynk, Acting General Secretary, Notingham Area NUM, March 1985. Source – Notts Free Press, 8th March 1985, p.8-9.
“Its not been a defeat at all. We’re right behind the national leadership and would be prepared to come out on strike again if necessary”. Paul Beasley, Bentinck striking miner, quoted in Notts Free Press, 8th March 1985, p.11.