Margaret Thatcher

[Lampman]

Well let's see she decimated the Coal Industry,closed the docks,sacked the Printers ,demolished the Steel Industry,sold us shares in companies we already owned and sold off the council houses.
A truly great legacy?

[Less]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

This will be my final post to this thread.

Are you sure Margaret?
Could you not be tempted just to continue a little while longer?
After all, without your wise words how low could this thread really get?

We'll not tease you if you change your mind and continue, after all, Jaysays first post said it would be his last on the subject and he's posted 5 times without anyone extracting the urine about a Tory that can't keep his word!

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Mog, I don't believe anyone is doubting the miners were not well trained. I visited a mine in Wales several years ago, you have my upmost respect for going down one.
If I remember rightly, all through the 1970's there was strike after strike, hampering our country. Edward Heath's government was brought down by the actions of unions.
Something had to be done, she may have gone too far, but that's what happens in life.
Speaking of miners, I see Arthur Scargill is still doing okay
Why Arthur Scargill is reluctant to leave his £1.5m Barbican flat | Politics | The Guardian

I believe the phrase is 'champagne socialist'

I remember the 1970s and the 3 day week and the power cuts and some idiot who was the minister of energy being on the TV explaining to the common people of this land of mine. That you should save energy. He gave a great example to us by demonstrating that you should turn the lights off to save power, even whilst having a shave. Typical tory idiot was shaving with an electric razor plugged in.

[Greeny]

Being that the country is on its knees , and we are all in this together . Where is the £8,000,000 coming from to pay for this none state funeral ? I guess it is us the tax payer. I would rather this £8 million was spent on cancer treatments that patients are refused as it too expensive. No matter how bad this country is said to be ,money can be found when the reason suits .

[Boeing Guy]

Ah yes, the 3 day week. Now why was that..... Well for those of us who are too blinkered to remember, the UK was in a mess, inflation was high and as a result the Government tried to cap Public Sector Pay, of course this did not go down well with the Unions, (just like the Civil Servants Pensions arn't going down well either...) so the National Union of Mineworkers, got their memebers to work to rule, causing sever shortages of power in the UK.
in the middle Heath lost the general election, then the rest of the 1970's we plauged by Strike after Strike, anyone remember the Winter of Discontent?
or even Callaghans 'Crisis what Crisis' comments...(To be fair I prefer Supertramps version).

Still its nice to see the Union Leaders did okay out of it, after4 all Arthurs still a hero....

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Ah yes, the 3 day week. Now why was that..... Well for those of us who are too blinkered to remember, the UK was in a mess, inflation was high and as a result the Government tried to cap Public Sector Pay, of course this did not go down well with the Unions, (just like the Civil Servants Pensions arn't going down well either...) so the National Union of Mineworkers, got their memebers to work to rule, causing sever shortages of power in the UK.
in the middle Heath lost the general election, then the rest of the 1970's we plauged by Strike after Strike, anyone remember the Winter of Discontent?
or even Callaghans 'Crisis what Crisis' comments...(To be fair I prefer Supertramps version).

Still its nice to see the Union Leaders did okay out of it, after4 all Arthurs still a hero....

Why is it that every time a coal mine is mentioned Arthurs name comes up and also your version of events is not the same as mine. Then again I worked in the mines during this period so you would think that I would know a little bit more about it than you. You cannot Work to rule in a coal mine. The members of the NUM put an overtime ban on. Thats all. There is no law that says you are forced to do overtime. There are others who work in the mines who were not in the NUM. There were the mining officials that were in NACODS and there were the Managers ( By the way. I was one of them ) who were in BACM. Or do you want to tell me more about my profession.

[Royboy39]

Originally Posted by Lampman

Well let's see she decimated the Coal Industry,closed the docks,sacked the Printers ,demolished the Steel Industry,sold us shares in companies we already owned and sold off the council houses.
A truly great legacy?

All loss making and heavily subsidised by the taxpayer. Unions were on the verge of bringing the country down by huge demands that the taxpayer could not afford.
When are some of the public going to realise that it is their next door neighbour who is paying the bill.
Dancing in the streets by young yobos who wer'nt even born when MT was in office does not impress anyone.

[Boeing Guy]

Mog, I have the upmost brepect for your profession, it is somthing I could never have done.
I have no version of events, I was a child at the time of the 3 Day Week.

That said the country was in crisis, Inflation was going up January 1973, the Governement issued a White Paper on anti inflation.


In May 1.6 million workers staged a strike in support of the TUC's call for a 'day of national protest and stoppage' in protest at the Government's pay restraint policy and price rises. This action followed numerous strikes in the first few months of the New Year.

In November 1973, the menbers of the NUM started an Overtime Ban.

This caused a the Government to declare a state of emegency, due to the combined effects of action by Coal and electricity workers and also by the cut in Oil from the gulf states.

In December 1973, electricty was rationed to Industy, creating the 3 day week in the new year.

In January 1974 The National Coal Board offered the miners between 40p and 70p per week pay rise, this was rejected by the Pay Board.

The TUC meet the government at 10 Downing St but the NUM decided to continue the overtime ban.

Late January 1974, the Miner Leaders rejected a letter from the prime Minister to go back to work, carrying on the action.

Febuary 1974, the Miners Strike began.

The NUM now rejected a offer from industialists to pay between £1.50 to £2.00 per week on top of the NCB offer to all the miners.

March 174, the NUM reched a deal with the NCB after the new Labour Governement interviened. it cost £113 Million

July 1974 the pay board was abolished.

I may have missed bits out.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Cashy, you are putting the words of David Cameron in Margaret Thatchers mouth......I don't recall her having said that at any time...though, like you, my memory is becoming rusty with advancing years.

This will be my final post to this thread.

Of course Cameron said it, Hes the man thats actually making the British Public pay fer this farce. You are putting wrong allegation at my door, I never said Thatcher said it. very unlike yeh that.

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Mog, I have the upmost brepect for your profession, it is somthing I could never have done.
I have no version of events, I was a child at the time of the 3 Day Week.

That said the country was in crisis, Inflation was going up January 1973, the Governement issued a White Paper on anti inflation.


In May 1.6 million workers staged a strike in support of the TUC's call for a 'day of national protest and stoppage' in protest at the Government's pay restraint policy and price rises. This action followed numerous strikes in the first few months of the New Year.

In November 1973, the menbers of the NUM started an Overtime Ban.

This caused a the Government to declare a state of emegency, due to the combined effects of action by Coal and electricity workers and also by the cut in Oil from the gulf states.

In December 1973, electricty was rationed to Industy, creating the 3 day week in the new year.

In January 1974 The National Coal Board offered the miners between 40p and 70p per week pay rise, this was rejected by the Pay Board.

The TUC meet the government at 10 Downing St but the NUM decided to continue the overtime ban.

Late January 1974, the Miner Leaders rejected a letter from the prime Minister to go back to work, carrying on the action.

Febuary 1974, the Miners Strike began.

The NUM now rejected a offer from industialists to pay between £1.50 to £2.00 per week on top of the NCB offer to all the miners.

March 174, the NUM reched a deal with the NCB after the new Labour Governement interviened. it cost £113 Million

July 1974 the pay board was abolished.

I may have missed bits out.

If all I have done is to get you to rephrase your words, then I am happy. There is a massive difference between working to Rule and an Overtime ban. I shall also add that Coventry mine was one of the deapest in the country and also one of the hottest. When you entered the mine workings from the south side of the pit. The workmen had a supply of water pumped to them and also were given salt tablets. During the Overtime ban we had a massive underground fire and some of the pit lads stayed undergroung with me from Friday night at 21.00 until Sunday at 14.00 fighting the fire and extinguishing the same. All without pay due to the overtime ban. But they fought the fire to save the pit and keep it open.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Mog

If all I have done is to get you to rephrase your words, then I am happy. There is a massive difference between working to Rule and an Overtime ban. I shall also add that Coventry mine was one of the deapest in the country and also one of the hottest. When you entered the mine workings from the south side of the pit. The workmen had a supply of water pumped to them and also were given salt tablets. During the Overtime ban we had a massive underground fire and some of the pit lads stayed undergroung with me from Friday night at 21.00 until Sunday at 14.00 fighting the fire and extinguishing the same. All without pay due to the overtime ban. But they fought the fire to save the pit and keep it open.

How ironic Mog, there was no no mass media coverage about incidents like that.

[Boeing Guy]

No there wasn't, there should have been, those men did something heroic.


I am sorry for the work to rule line Mog, I was wrong.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

No there wasn't, there should have been, those men did something heroic.


I am sorry for the work to rule line Mog, I was wrong.

Not being funny B.G. but that simple fact about stuff not being reported was not n isolated incident,by far during that period. Many who lived through it of a suitable age were not aware,It all comes out in the wash eventually.

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

No there wasn't, there should have been, those men did something heroic.


I am sorry for the work to rule line Mog, I was wrong.

No problem mate. I know what miners were and the dedication and comrademanship that was shown between men and their pit was like. We also had a gas Explosion due to Spontaneous combustion. on December 12th 1982 where 21 of us was involved with a deap seated coal fire that ignited Methane in the strata. 21 of us all came out alive. We all made sure of that.

[cashman]

Margaret Thatcher scored a political own goal with her attitude to football - Telegraph Typical attitude to the workingman, which football still was back then.