[The following article appeared on the front page of the August 24 issue of La Gauche ("The Left"), French-language newspaper of the Socialist Workers Party (POS), Belgian section of the Fourth International. The translation is by Intercontinental Press.]
The strike of British miners receives a great deal of spontaneous sympathy; everyone in our country who collects money to support the miners has been able to see this. The miners" struggle goes right to the heart of the workers of the world. On strike since March 12, the 140,000 strikers and their families are living without strike benefits. They do so voluntarily. because they don't want to drain the coffers of their union.
They are fighting for jobs against the most reactionary government in Western Europe. which is in the vanguard of the employers' of fensive against jobs. And they still have several months of battle ahead of them.
But the miners*
strike does not simply arouse sympathy: it also awakens interest because it concretely poses basic questions of working-class strategy today in the developed capitalist countries.
First of all there are the demands of the miners union. the NUM. The NUM rejects Thatcher's plan for restructuring the mines, a plan that would eliminate half the jobs and lead to the privatization of the most profitable mines.
Secondly, the NUM has set as its objective total victory. This means that it rules out any concessions that would compromise that victory, and it is not afraid to consciously violate the anti-strike laws. This also means that the NUM places its confidence solely in direct action: general strike, mass pickets. flying pickets, mass demonstrations, all of which are democratically organized. The NUM also relies on the autonomous struggle of the miners' wives and fights to develop real solidarity.
Because, in the final analysis, the victory of the miners implies: the support of the whole trade-union movement and the adoption of the miners" demands by the Labour Party. the biggest British working-class party. Its unifying objective is to overturn the Thatcher government and replace it with a Labour government that would apply a truly socialist policy" (as is stated in an international appeal by the NUM).
The struggle of the British miners is an example for all workers fighting against the capitalist crisis: direct action for immediate demands, no confidence in the employers" government; demand that the big parties of the working class assume their governmental responsibilities solely within the framework of a workers government that applies the workingclass demands.
The NUM's appeal for international solidarity must therefore receive an immediate response in the organized workers movement. What are the [Belgian] unions and the Socialist Party waiting for? They are best placed to launch a massive and united solidarity campaign.
The POS is not waiting: it is launching a campaign of political solidarity. We are collecting money and sending it to one of the NUM strongholds, Bold Branch in Northwest England, with which we have fraternal contacts. We will organize a tour featuring representatives of this union to popularize the strike, its methods, its aims. We are putting out a poster and leaflet. But we remain in favor of a big united action by the parties and unions of the workers movement. because this, for obvious reasons of effectiveness, is what the NUM miners would like.
Victory to the miners!
Thatcher out, Labour in!