The Miners’ Strike 1984-5: When Government Made War Upon the People, With Hilary Cave

As Education Officer for the National Union of Mineworkers, Hilary Cave was heavily
involved in the 1984-5 miners’ strike. Drawing on material in her new book, she will
describe the experiences of many miners and coalfield women, analysing government use
of the state against the union. She will also explore the vital help given by miners’ support groups, as well as solidarity actions by other unions.

Hilary is also a poet, a long time labour movement activist and a regular customer of ours!

In association with Notts and Derby Labour History Society

http://www.ndlabourhistory.org/

Tea  and cake provided

Forty years on Hilary Cave offers her recollections of the 1984 Miners Strike from her  position then as a member of the National Union of Minerworkers headquarters staff. Her official responsibilities as head of education vanished as she assumed all manner of organisational tasks including the organisation of mass rallies and demonstrations throughout the country.

Her account starts from a confrontation between the author, accompanied by NUM chief executive Roger Windsor, on the way to a meeting with a police operations chief, and a police road block intent on stopping miners from moving around the county. Characteristically she refused to bow to police intimidation, or let them know she was on her way to meet their boss, challenged them to arrest her and forced them to abandon their pretence and let her pass.

Hilary Cave combines a compelling honesty with sharp insight into the politics of this turning point in class struggle. The book she will be talking about is written with a compelling sense of the period, with dialogue creatively delivered to convey a sense of the tensions and humour and with remarkable detail.

Generous but sharply perceptive with her judgements she brings into the narrative the experiences and recollections not only of her role but her colleagues, and with a strong appreciations of the remarkable role of the women of the coalfields.

This talk will stir the memories of many miners and their families and supporters and recall a critical period when the sinews of the capitalist state were laid bare to reveal the class realities that still exist today.