BEN DAVIES, Cwm Lodge NUM and a member of the Union's South Wales Executive Committee, Weekly:
"The result of the ballot. in South Wales is about 95 per cent acainst the National Coal Board offer - that's the highest vote weve ever nag. . That vote gives our national Execuive a mandate for industrial action. For me that must mean sinke action.
*People talk about the need to defend the Labour Government. But you've got to look at what they've done. Their policies have meant a steady deClease our standard living.
When the Social Contract was brought in, we were told that by holding back on wages we would save jobs and avoid the need for cuts. Yet the unemployment figures have been increasing steadily ever since, and cuts are taking place everywhere. That's what Social Contract has meant to us.
'Some of miners haven't got that blind loyalty to Labour that we've always had. If the Government are Ta ta on this, they're in for a shock.
* suffer an appalling accident Last year Tale killed, 538 seriously injured and 52,946 injured in accidents;
* endure such illnesses as chronic bronchitis, emphysema pneumoconiosis through work conditions.
On the other side is Sir Derek Ezra, who as well as being boss of The Nanona coa soare is aise chairperson of the British Institute or Managers. ezra nas * written to Callaghan saying he "supports SIne wherever possible non-productive expenditure" cuts;
* also told Callaghan that any of squeeze on managers' pay 'threatens our moustal suratchy * raised the pay of the NCB bigwigs so that while there bosses last year at the NCB who paid between £10,000 WCEC £12,500, and one between £12,500 and £15,000, the numbers have risen this year to 120 and 21 respectively;
* told the Sun newspaper that the miners' would Eas Bethnal 250 people demonstrated through cause if successful it will finally 59 miners were bury the anti-working class policies of the Social Contract. In 1972 and in 1974 the miners struck for us all. A strike at this time would have the same effect as it did then their lish Tory policies and leave the way open for real advances in the living standards of working people.
The miners" vote what rank-and-file trade unionists think of the policies of Callaghan, Healey and Ezra. ray, Jones and Scanlon that trade unionists support attacks on their wages, their services, jobs has been exposed through the large majority for the call for "industrial action" received from the pits.
That vote must now be transwere 28 atect Into North West Area Council of the and Nationa union o winers nave called for all-out strike action to back tne retirement claim. call is clearly supported by the majority of miners. It should now be supported by all militants up ane down use country for greater solidarity from shop stewards at both hotels. A speaker from Oxford Student Trades Union Liaison Committee was applauded when he suggested that the Transport and has shown The lie of Murand their