at The National Coul Board is pulling out all the stops to get the miners to swallow the new productivity deal.
John Cowan, the Scottish area director of the NCB, has warned that if the scheme is not accepted 3,000 jobs will be lost in the Scottish coalfield.
Invoking the social contract, Wilfrid Miron, another member of the Coal Board, has slammed into what be describes as the latter-day Lenins. Miron talks about Saboteurs of the social contract wanting to overthrow "the country's underly way of life.' FREE Coal News, the mouthpicce of the NCB, is being given out free to miners-even those who do not normally get the paper-so as to build up the pressure for a vote of acceplance.
The right wing of the NUM are lending a willing hand in the sell the deal' campaign, Len Clarke, the Nottinghamshire NUM president, has seat an open letter to Scargill calling on him to 'give the scheme a trial."
This is an absolute breach of discipline hy Clarke-as a member of the NUM excutive he is not supposed to campaign against the executive's decisions, Clarke need have no worries in that respect however. Frank Smith from Leicester, who openly attacked the union majority in the last strike, still sits on the executive and doubtless voted for the new productivity deal.
VENOM
The NUM right wing are so deeply committed to Labour's social contract that their venom is reserved for the left who oppose the deal, not for Clacke who vieLates the majority decisions of the union.
The NUM paper, The Miner, has devoled throe of its four pages explaining, in what the Guardian describes as "fairly moderate terms. what the scheme will mean. Gormley in a front page message strikes a low keynote against the NCB proposals which is clearly designed to dampen down opposition to the deal. No wonder that NCB officials are said to be pleased with the Time of the NUM.
Miron's open witch-hunting
intervention has caused Gormley to Teel a little uneasy. He has pleaded "that all outside bodies should get out of our hair and let us get on with our job, It is one thing for Cormiey to put the case for the Board officials.
It is the Gormleys and the for the Cowans and the Mirons.
try and divide the miners.
bers of the NCB who attack the and if the Labour Government NUM must introduce a policy of Members of the NUM must refuse to attend meetings where must refuse to accept decisions made by Miron and company, and to sack these people then strikes should take place until they are removed.
Inside the NUM, Gormley, be brought to beel.
For the first time in its history the were meL. A wora mom me Mirror to 250.000 GIVE Radar November 11 1974 The NCB productivity deal is designed to split the unity of the miners. The actions and words of the light wing in defiance of the 14-E2 executive vote help the NCB achieve that aim. Pit head meelings of the miners should carry resolutions censuring Gormley and Clarke and insisting that a new ballot be held for their positions in the union.
The NUM is at the centre of the stage in a big battle hetween the Government, the employers, and the working class. The stakes in this battle are high. Only a determined fight by the left-a fight entailing a struggle aguinst the enemics within their own ranks can ensure a victory.
Bob Pennington
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