How long do you think it will take for the effects of the strike to spread?
All this they are saying about the stocks being high and that the strike won't have any effect for weeks is wrong. The British Steel Corporation were saying this but already two sections of Rotherham works have closed down and they are talking about a complete closure in a week or so. River Don's going to close down at the end of next week too. And there will be power cuts a lot quicker than they are saying as well.
Can you tell me a little about the background to the strike?
Eleven years ago miners were in fact getting more money a shift than they are getting With the introduction of the National ding Agreement all local barSave been taken away -you out conditions as you could all you to do a job that is Just wher the NPLA ber there was a pit which didn't come under the agreement and they were getting E2 a shift more than the other pits. They praise Robens but all he's done is close pits down, speed up prodFi a thind of the men the that these who were kept on wi mid pt big scram in mosty and better cond How do you see the strike developing?
It's difficult so say because our pit is one of the most coeservative. They say that if our pit in on strike then it must be right..... A lot of miners are saying it's going to be a long one-anything up to six months, but I'm worried it may be over in a few weeks with not much gained. I haven't got much confidence in the Executive and they have been talking about productivity deals and extra holidays. Even if we went back in a few weeks it would take so long to get back to full production that we wouldn't qualify for the productivity increases-and the NUM Executive know this. They are supposed to be offering five days extra holiday but you can't choose to have them when you want them. The Executive know all this but I think a lot of the men could be got into accepting it if there was some flat rate increase too.