Kate Flannery, Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign Secretary
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign was launched over ten years ago to call for an inquiry to get justice for picketing miners striking for the right to work, and to ensure the true narrative of what really happened throughout the 1984-85 miners’ strike is in the public domain.
Miners were ambushed and brutalised by a state-directed paramilitary police force at the Orgreave coking plant on 18 June 1984. 95 miners were arrested and charged with either riot (with the potential of a life sentence) or unlawful assembly. Almost a year later, when the cases went to court, all miners were acquitted when it became clear the police had falsified evidence. No one in the police or government has ever been held to account for the violence and lies. The Tories have refused to hold any kind of inquiry into their role and the actions of the police.
The 84-85 miners’ strike was a turning point in our trade union history. The Tory Thatcher government mobilised unprecedented resources to demonise and criminalise the powerful National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). The Tories tried to destroy the trade union movement to advance their neoliberal agenda – the mass privatisation of public services and nationalised industries and the erosion of civil liberties. They used the full force of the state against the miners and our communities who were fighting against the Tory plan for mass pit closures. Many have raw memories and physical and emotional scars because of the injustices meted out against strikers and protesters. The outcome of the miners’ strike set the tone for industrial relations and the policing of strikes and protest in Britain.
Fast forward to Tory Britain today with a ferocious free market, public sector cuts, poverty wages, soaring food and energy bills, and draconian policing laws. The Tory neoliberal plans have come to fruition. However, we currently see hundreds of thousands of workers fighting back and striking on a massive scale for better services, jobs, pay and conditions. Our campaign has amassed incredible support and is creating awareness amongst younger generations who see that the injustices they campaign against have many similarities with the miners’ struggle.
This year our annual march and rally, to mark the anniversary of Orgreave, takes place on Saturday 17 June at 1pm in Barkers Pool, Sheffield. Come along and join us alongside a line-up of impressive speakers and demand truth and justice.
