Num Leaders Duck Pay Fighi

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Since the massive vote against the productivity deal in the mines, NUM leaders have sat back and avoided pressing the £135 claim.

The vote against the productivity deal was a vote for the £135 claim. Yet Gormley and the NEC are now simply waiting for next March so that the miners' claim will not conflict with the 12 month rule, knowing that strike action as spring begins would have little effect.

Miners at the militant Betteshanger Kent pit spoke to • Socialist Press of two methods that have been used to hold off the struggle.

Fictitious Firstly, miners have been softened up by fictitious overtime known as the 'golden hour, whereby anyone underground can stop on for an extra hour a day.

Previously this could only be done in an emergency. As well as diverting the struggle to increase basic rates this practice attacks the hard-won 7¼-hour day.

The second assault on the wage claim is in the form of attempts to negotiate local incentive schemes.

The Executive of the NUM is split down the middle on recommending these. But several Executive members including South Derbyshire delegate Ken Toon are in favour of giving local areas the go-ahead to negotiate local incentive schemes.

Ron Clark, another right winger, is following another tactic and calling for a ballot on strike action.

He reckons to use this to divide the membership, hoping the result will be a 'No' vote.

Firemen's fight

However, miners are aware that the firemens' fight affects their dispute: as one miner said 'Wait till the firemen win. Then see if Len Clark will propose a ballot'.

'Everybody is watching the firemen' said a branch official. But more watching is of course necessary• The Betteshanger NUM branch were last week planning action in support of the firemen.

A levy of 10p per member towards the firemens' strike fund was to be imposed and each branch was planning to 'adopt' a fire station.

Their aim is to help with finances, producing material