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Sincerest condolences to Peter Heathfield's family at this sad time. Ian Morrison Hucknall Loyal to the last Secretary Nottinghamshire NUM Ex & Retired Miners Association

Can i just mention on this page, i am saddened to learn of the passing of a comrade i first met many moons ago ( or so it seems ) at the Yorkshire Miners W'end Schools, Vic Lindsay. Vic was the Rossington Branch Delegate and was a pleasure to draw on his wealth and experience when in his presence. R.I.P. Comrade, a working class hero !!

To Chris Skidmore, You seem to attribute the article 'Brown's Gaffe' to me. It was a Guardian Article by Seumas Milne which if read properly was in support of Labour. Also let me point out to my good friend CJRK that the first Labour candidate ever to stand in Barnsley was stoned by miners in Market Square. It was said he would split the Liberal vote that the Miners' Federation supported at that time. I seem to be getting some verbal stoning but I am proud to be a Socialist who stands as one regardless. I say to CJRK 'It takes a worried man to sing a worried song'

Deepest sympathy to Peter Heathfield's family. The NUM and wider trade union movement have lost a true friend. A real working class hero.

The latest edition of "The Miner" carried the headlines "Make sure you vote on May 6th Make sure you vote Labour" given the Editors political persuasion I have to say I was pleasantly suprised. However "normal service" was quickly resumed in the inclusion on the News Feeds on the Web Site entitled Browns Gaffe (copied & pasted from the Guardian as usual!) I cannot see how you can say one thing in one type of medium and attempt at ridicule in another.I am the first to wonder why the Labour Party hasn`t delivered on its promises to our sacked & victimised miners or on the question of the Miners Pension Scheme scandal or a commitment to the Coal Industry in Britain.However you don`t resolve the situation by cheap shots & slagging off what still should be the political party that puts working class interests first.

Sincere condolences to the family and friends of Peter Heathfield. From the mining fraternity.

We are now witnessing more damage to our habitat from accidents and natural phenonamens (Check spelling)than anything that a coal fired energy supply would cost including damage to the economy. The 84/85 was about keeping the working class down disbelieve it at your peril you environmental groups and lobbyists. Consider the cost and damage a Nuclear accident would cause.

Ken do you have a thing about seeing your name on a ballot paper? NUM NEC elections, Euro elections and now the General election, what next another go for the NEC? Did you conceder before putting forward your nomination for Barnsley East that you may well be helping the BNP by splitting the Labour vote.

After watching the last leadership debate I have to admit that both Cameron and Clegg seem to have improved their acting skills far more than Gordon Brown over the three debates. If we were voting for the next reality TV star to give the media someone to report on I would be hard pushed to choose between them. The reality is that next Thursday we are voting for who will lead this Country out of recession and back to prosperity. While the TV debates have filled a few hours on the TV schedule I do hope when casting their vote’s people remember its policies not personalities that they should conceder. For me it has shown that Cameron is a true old fashioned Tory with the same look after your own kind Tory policies and Clegg is the likable lad with no policies to put across. Gordon Brown may not have the TV presence of his rivals but he knows what has to be done and how to do it. It’s vote Labour for me.

could anyone tell me were i can buy a miners lamp

Fraternal MAY DAY Greetings to the NUM,(A slightly edited copy of a proposal as outlined below) A PROPOSAL FOR Discussion and Debate by the NUM and also a Provisional Proposal for Direct Action to reverse a long term NUM Grievance. By mick conway BTEC Nat Dip Health and Science FA Dip Physiotherapy NCB Mining Apprenticeship NCB Engineering Apprenticeship = 12 and a half years FT study, plus 17 years working in Coal Industry in Britain. I write to condem the situation regarding non successful or denied claims to NUM members for Industrial Injuries/Diseases such as Osteoarthritis of knee joints and vwf plus all other NUM disputed medical decsions. As a practising physiotherapist who has also completed both a mining and engineering craft apprenticeships, i find this situation totally unacceptable. Therefore to counter,, what has been refered to before this communication,, (sent to the NUM and entitled “The Deliberate False Medical Misdiagnosis”), therefore to counter this SITUATION , essentially “VICTIMISATION” of NUM members applying for the above legislated for and legally binding “INDUSTRIAL /RSI /INJURIES/DISEASES ,, therefore to counter these STATE practices or POLICIES, (AGAINST THE NUM) ,,I thus propose the following NUM policy, to win these NUM DISPUTED claims,, basically as fast as possible. The proposal thus is essentially made up of a series of measures as follows; 1. The Num appropriately appoint an Independant Medical tribunal to re – examine ALL DISPUTED NUM claims, individually. 2. When the results are compiled a “FAST TRACK” approach to winning these claims is thus proposed here and if the Government are not prepared to essentially reverse these “ROBBERIES” via these civil service employees’ (outlined , to the NUM Membership, (via the “The Deliberate False Medical Misdiagnosis”), then Action , via taking this issue , plus, into the capital and dealing with this situation, via PROTEST with people such as “Andreas” who I personally corresponded to this evening, via the NUM web page, thus with International suppport,,the NUM can win this and quickly. Not to do anythin,, would be a mistake in this members view,, when “THERE ARE OPTIONS “ such as a PROTEST march in London “”that could and should be very well supported. 3. Also as Proposer of THIS RESOLUTION “to win JUSTICE” for the NUM ,the certainty that these NUM members are most definitely being “ROBBED” is the reason this proposal has been written and written about previously ,, ((via the “The Deliberate False Medical Misdiagnosis” by conway)), and ((sent)) DIRECTLY to the NUM,, then Action on the Streets is being , most definitely “PROPOSED” here ,, seeking support from the NUM,, to redress this “ABUSE” of NUM members being denied access to funds that 10 years ago ,,were reported by some sections of the media, to be over half a BILLION pounds sterling to fund these claims legislated for,, in or at Westminster and then BLOCKED by these essentially,, UNCHALLENGED anti NUM/socialist/human rights/legislated for Rights, Bastards. 4. Also propose that the NUM , armed with this “NEW MEDICAL ACCURATE TRUTHFUL AND ETHICALLY SOUND EVIDENCE” then MOST DEFINITELY STARTS LEGAL ACTION AGAINTS THIS PERSONEL, (or THESE PERSONEL), IDENTIFIED AS RESPONSIBLE” for ANY DISCREPENCIES found in the new claims evidence gathered as outlined above and ahead. 5. “THE GROUNDS” for such legal action are , to myself as proposer,, not known as I am not a lawyer . However,, as outlined in detail to my comrades previously,, ((via the “The Deliberate False Medical Misdiagnosis” a 2008 or 09 paper by conway)), if these clear ILLEGAL and UNLAWFUL anti NUM medical decisions cannot be challenged and reversed in court, using a test case for simplicity purposes, and this is something that could result very favourably for the NUM cause ,, directly reffered to here, then SOMETHING is intolerably wrong with the Judicial system, especially when one factors into this equation,, the 1978 Incentive Scheme High Court ruling into “THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION” 6. Therfore this PROPOSAL for ACTION send most respectfully to the NUM is essentially a series of SIMPLE measures as follows; 7. A . The NUM appoint or appeal for suitable medical persoonel volunteers,, who are prepared to be working full time on this particular NUM GRIEVANCE and the NUM also find them suitable premises to essentially carry out this INVESTIGATION /RE-EXAMINATION of ALL NUM members’ who have made UNSUCCESFUL claims and that are MOST DEFINITELY DISPUTABLE both medically, legally,, and of course via the (EVIDENCE OF) NUM members themselves being not awarded their rights as these Industrial Injuries/Diseases Pensions have been legislated for in Westmister. Therefore, if we have to kick the door (of this corrupt talking shop, Weswtminster),, off its hinges,, in order to at least prevent this attempt to HUMILIATE the Greatest Trade Union in the world,, thus to its members,, as described above,, then to STOP this INJUSTICE is what we should do,, 8. Thus written above is A PROPOSAL for debate and discussion by NUM members,, but also all those who supported the NUM in 1984 and still or recently have become essentially comrades of this great trade union,, who so heroically fought the might of the British state ,, namely Thatchers Goverment who invested nearly 8 Billion pounds sterling just 25 years to essentially SMASH the NUM. (Total NUM assests just under 10 million pounds sterling, in 1984) 9. This is a statistic , that defies inaccuract interpretation, as the NUM History is well documented, 10. Also as a measure as part of this proposal,, herebye also therefore,, seek support from the NUM ,, to SIGN ON as many supporters ,, such as the comrade refered to earlier ,, Known by the Code name ,, Andreas,,for the eventuality of being required to take this straight to the streets of London , if and when neccessary and this is not poker or bluff. 11. As far as this writer/Doctor is concerned, those responsible must be also dealt with most severely at some stage in the future or possibly very near future. 12. They are fools if they think that the NUM has not still many friends and they are also fools if they think those international friends will stand by idly and watch it humiliated by these peti bourgoise capitalist pig agents for a pittance, scum , who have effectively turned a RIGHT into a roulettee wheel dice throw. 13. Frankly as a practising physiotherapist this is an totally unacceptable situation and if the NUM chooses to go down this road, via SUPPORTING THIS PROPOSAL for ACTION,, Then it will defeat the forces who still attack this great UNION and most importantly it can do this quickly as the 1990 Anti Poll Tax Demonstration, althougth self defensive in strategy terms, but nevertheless it showed that these victories can be won and quickly !!!!!!!!!!! COMRADES Support this resolution ,, Happy May Day,, Victory is certain,, Our day will come,, Scargill walks on water,, Signed Your fraternally,, Mick conway

thanks for the response to our e mail [ the link for our song and video of the miners strike is [ you tube] pot bellied boys miners strike ] thans again , it means a lot to me

thanks to chris kitchen , for the reply to my musical , partners e mail concerning our video and song [whose side are you on ] a tribute to the miners during the strike , all of my famil on my fathers side worked in the mining industry , now sadly destroyed by the thatcher creature , the link is [ you tube , pot bellied boys miners strike , thank you it means a lot

This has been put on a social network Ning.Com by @Barnsley55 and restidributed on Twitter targetting Mining Towns and Cities. Copy and paste the link into your browser http://barnsleyonlinefiftyfiveplus.ning.com/video/mineworkers-pension-scheme

@Barnsley55 on Twitter has posted this Mineworkers Pension PDF document on the Ning.com group BarnleyFiftyFivePlusOnline which also appears on the Welsh miners forum and has been distributed to major mining town twitter streams copy and paste the link below to view http://barnsleyonlinefiftyfiveplus.ning.com/forum/topics/mineworkers-pension-scheme?xg_source=activity

I'll try not to answer questions with questions,but will endeavor to ask a few.The SLP by its very title is a socialist party.Does Tony Benn regard Labour as a socialist party?.Card votes were long a TUC/Labour Party feature to represent others(one has to be careful re smears/hearsay).The UDM site lapses into Latin(the language spoken by many a breakaway voter??).Tony Parsons(The Mirror)sees New Labour as a broad church-Mandelson to Prescott,and the Milibands to Field!.Gawd 'elp us should the guestbook ever become so narrow in scope!.From the Fed days to when I joined the Labour Party(and the miners' union)33yrs ago,the NUM's always been affiliated to Labour(bet the Liberals weren't too pleased about Old Labour's breakaway in the early 20th century?).Wouldn't eg McGahey have argued strongly for other views to have been considered at the union's top table though,and can someone point me to this elusive(to me)New Labour 'All socialists welcome'guestbook?.'Fraid I tired of the party locally when a Midlands Euro PPC met the UDM's Ken Toon,and the breakaway(we're still awaiting 1985 local voting figures)was smuggled into the party in my area through a branch 'back door'.With £4 billion owed to the miners,anti-union laws still in place,and Conference hurdles long established to dilute dissent,Labour certainly isn't perfect!.High praise though for many tireless Labour councillors in NUM regions(some just a tad top-heavy with outside academics-but no matter).From the national party leadership though,once again a stirring(not!)tiresome battle cry(re-elect us,the blues can only be worse).This once again gives the leadership carte blanche to continue to act like Tories.With New Labour's failure to support my brother-in-law and other postal workers/the Cabin Crew/the RMT etc what exactly HAS changed in 26 yrs?.Could we say New Labour/the unions have a 'Special Relationship?!?.Better for that(assuming it still exists)to be a 2-way thing?.As for those heinous scapegoaters the BNP with 'all the right words'?!,look at New Labour's Manifesto(particularly the lumping together of Crime Justice & Immigration).The SLP(an anti-EU party)stands against economic migration driving down British workers' wages/conditions.With that in mind I'd advise Richard to vote as far left as possible,and smaller parties standing may hold the answer to the current dreadful turnout figures.The europhile anti-union Lib Dems(remember WHY the SDP split from Labour?)would aid in consigning the Post Office(in addition in the past to huge swathes of British industry)to history's dustbin,and wouldn't even be on my radar.Nick Wroughton.

danderhall retired miners summer drive will be to Blantyre miners welfare club on saturday 5 june we are still looking for new members who would be interested to join our branch

My father Jimmy Brannan Snr had drawn some pen and ink pictures to raise funds for the 84 miners strike. At the moment we cannot find the origanal drawings which were sent abroad to be printed. My father has passed away and I am wandering wether they have been archived in your headquarters in Barnsley. Also, do you have a painting hung up in your offices of a miner with a pick axe and dudley sat down in the heading. This was given to my dads cousin, Frank Cave. I have tried to ring Franks family as I know he passed away but cannot get a reply? Can you help?

I'd like to see a question on the poll of who the public would like to see win the election, Lib Dem, Concerv or Labour, I myself vote Liberal Democrats but I'd like to see it asked...

remember during the strike my kids singing 'the miners united would never be defeated' well we were not united and we were defeated, some of us are still fighting for our folk and our communities, but following the comments on the site I see we have not learned from the simple kids song, we are divided and the more divided we become, the greater the chance of the Tories getting back into power, is that what any of us want, speaking as a Miner who is a Labour councillor, I admit that the Labour Government is not perfect, but instead of splitting away into tens or hundreds of different political parties we should be united under one banner and become involved in the Party who can stop the Tories, and not assist them back into power