The members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) voted unanimously at the meeting to return to work--for one day only on October 10--and to notify the boss they will strike again the following day. Holding a second ballot is aimed at preventing the coal bosses from declaring a lockout of the 260 workers after eight weeks on strike as allowed by UK federal law. A spokesperson for UK Coal claimed in the Yorkshire Post that "a second ballot will not work" and threatened to sack the miners if they continued their action. Miners approved resuming the strike on October 11 with 54 percent in favor.

John Gibson, secretary of the Rossington NUM branch and one of the striking miners said the union is trying to prevent a lockout, but the company may do so anyway. But, Gibson said, "They will find it hard to run the mine with scabs."

NUM striker Chris Skidmore said the union is taking legal action to establish in law that workers can extend the eight-week protection from sacking by holding a second ballot vote.

The Rossington mine had been closed and reopened by UK Coal on a "lease and license" basis from the government. The coal bosses have used this arrangement to impose substandard conditions relative to workers at other mines. For example, miners at Rossington work an eight-hour shift while those at other UK Coal mines work seven-and-a-quarter hours for the same pay. Miners say UK Coal has set production targets at Rossington that are used to decide bonus payments at a level that cannot be met given the conditions in the mine. Lack of bonus pay hits the miners hard, since it usually makes up a significant proportion of worker's weekly income.

"UK Coal has put the mine supervisors back on three shifts to prepare for our return to work," Gibson said. "We are willing to negotiate with them over bonus rates, but they are adamant that their position is nonnegotiable."

Support and financial contributions have come in from miners across the country. The Yorkshire Area NUM has decided to raise £3 per week from each miner in the area (£1=US$1.40). "We're in weekly contact with the NUM at Ellington colliery because their situation is similar to ours. They are watching our fight closely," he said. The Ellington Colliery in the northeast is also under the "lease and license" scheme.

Meanwhile, national officers of the NUM met with UK Coal representatives September 28 to discuss what the coal bosses call Project 105. This "project" is an attempt by the coal operators to lengthen the workday to 12 hours, with seven-day continuous production without raising pay. In addition to driving down production costs, this move would further erode safety conditions in the mines.

Paul Davies is a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union. Hugh Robertson is a member of the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union.  
 
 
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