The big thing she’s remembered for is closing down the mining industry. Whole communities throughout the north of England and Wales were left penniless. They were towns where everyone worked as a miner or in some way related to the mine. Nothing was done to give any alternatives.
Of course there was a huge industrial dispute - The miners strike. Massive, initially peaceful, demonstrations that turned violent as police would attack and stir up the conflict. People died, communities were shatteredd, yet through it all Thatcher was unmoving. Just using the police as her own civilian army.
The purpose of the strike was to raise awareness and make the issue one of public note more than anything else. It didn’t really work in the long run. The pits closed. The communities suffered and they’re still feeling the effects today 40 years later.
The mines needed to go IMHO. The country needed to move on, but the way it was done with absolutely no support was callous and heartless.
We repeatedly face the same problem with industry still running from the Victorian era. This week it’s 2,700 steel-workers at blast furnaces in Scunthorpe. The government are stepping in “to save British steel”, but as part of it they want to modernise. A modern arc furnace only needs about a fifth of the workers (based on Port Talbot having 2,500 job losses when they closed their blast furnaces, but only needing 500 for the new furnace when it opens), so whilst they are “saving steel worker jobs” they’re also planning to let most of them go. The key question is what do those people do instead. Hopefully something less hazardous, but it has to be something.
thank you I was wondering about the public reaction to the mines closing, since it does seem like a good thing on its face, no you’re absolutely right that a problem doesn’t need to be handled the hardest way.
interesting to hear about the cycle coming around again with steel workers now.
that was a great write up and an appreciated explanation, have a good one!
The big thing she’s remembered for is closing down the mining industry. Whole communities throughout the north of England and Wales were left penniless. They were towns where everyone worked as a miner or in some way related to the mine. Nothing was done to give any alternatives.
Of course there was a huge industrial dispute - The miners strike. Massive, initially peaceful, demonstrations that turned violent as police would attack and stir up the conflict. People died, communities were shatteredd, yet through it all Thatcher was unmoving. Just using the police as her own civilian army.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQh4n8rRLw8
She viewed as a uncaring authoritarian tyrant by many.
Weren’t the miner strikes started by the management refusing to define metope?
wow, that’s crazy. thanks for the video, i just watched it.
if thatchers goal was to close the mines, wouldn’t miners voluntarily not working play into that?
or does strike in this context mean general protest rather than specifically not working?
The purpose of the strike was to raise awareness and make the issue one of public note more than anything else. It didn’t really work in the long run. The pits closed. The communities suffered and they’re still feeling the effects today 40 years later.
The mines needed to go IMHO. The country needed to move on, but the way it was done with absolutely no support was callous and heartless.
We repeatedly face the same problem with industry still running from the Victorian era. This week it’s 2,700 steel-workers at blast furnaces in Scunthorpe. The government are stepping in “to save British steel”, but as part of it they want to modernise. A modern arc furnace only needs about a fifth of the workers (based on Port Talbot having 2,500 job losses when they closed their blast furnaces, but only needing 500 for the new furnace when it opens), so whilst they are “saving steel worker jobs” they’re also planning to let most of them go. The key question is what do those people do instead. Hopefully something less hazardous, but it has to be something.
thank you I was wondering about the public reaction to the mines closing, since it does seem like a good thing on its face, no you’re absolutely right that a problem doesn’t need to be handled the hardest way.
interesting to hear about the cycle coming around again with steel workers now.
that was a great write up and an appreciated explanation, have a good one!