"What were all these businesses, what were they making and selling? Who was running them, who was working there?"
Mainly call centres, owned by multi-nationals, staffed by the illiterate morons you speak to when calling a helpline. Such wonderful jobs that most of them have an annual staff turnover greater than 100%.
Such a wonderful acheivement, that the area you mention has the highest percentage of people on anti-depressants in the UK.
THings may look better cosmetically, but the country lost a lot at the Battle of Orgreave. (Which was, for a short while, Civil War).
And I was proud to be there.
The Miners Strike - 20 Years On
Re: The Miners Strike - 20 Years On
We have need of you again, great king.
Re: The Miners Strike - 20 Years On
The miners strike 20 years on. Did it make Britain a better place?
No. Dangerous jobs have gone, replaced by call centres, mobility of workforce, the call centres are moving to India
Barret type estates, true in a lot of places they exist, what about the people in them are, they happy. Or do they just accept that job insecurity and long term unemployment are now the norm, or mobility of labour as you call it. It seems more people are socially excluded then ever before.
Vandalism is on the increase, but think of this, coal was Britain?s main source of fuel before North Sea oil, not any more, in there haste to close the pits nothing was done to make sure that they could be opened again, and the majority have now flooded. That was the greatest act of vandalism ever, these mines have gone and they can never be used again.
Who paid for the whole closure, the Government was very generous in the redundancy terms but where did the money come from. The taxpayer, No, the miners themselves indirectly. From being the countries largest pension fund in 1985, the government takes a annual levy from the fund, last year it was about 385 million and this fund, built up by miners contributions is now in deficit under the FSR17 rules
Now back in the early eighties the Isle of Man photographer Chris Killip had an exhibition called the A1000, tracking the road from London to the North East and depressing stuff it was, however it gave a tremendous insight to people?s lives, and the further north you went, the more depressing it was. However looking at the people of the North East ,the seacoalers and the locals, the had a huge amount of spirit in them, that?s gone.
Factories like Sony and other manufacturing conglomerates have opened up in various parts of the country, subsidised by the Government to open in depressed areas, however every ten years the agreement expires and the company puts their business out to tender in Europe, looking for the best deal to open a factory, That?s no way to run a country or Europe for that matter.
What about the rest of Britain, did it do anything to improve the lives of others. No. Cheap fuel, for job insecurity is not a good deal.
The importation of cheap fuel was the thin edge of the wedge for other industries, look today at Banking in London, 100,000 jobs have gone in the last three years, these are jobs which brought in huge benefits to the rest of the country, they have gone along with the training, which made Britain the greatest baking country in the world.
Mrs Thatcher had a vision for Britain, which I think she would agree is not the Britain we see today,and which has failed in it?s objectives.
No. Dangerous jobs have gone, replaced by call centres, mobility of workforce, the call centres are moving to India
Barret type estates, true in a lot of places they exist, what about the people in them are, they happy. Or do they just accept that job insecurity and long term unemployment are now the norm, or mobility of labour as you call it. It seems more people are socially excluded then ever before.
Vandalism is on the increase, but think of this, coal was Britain?s main source of fuel before North Sea oil, not any more, in there haste to close the pits nothing was done to make sure that they could be opened again, and the majority have now flooded. That was the greatest act of vandalism ever, these mines have gone and they can never be used again.
Who paid for the whole closure, the Government was very generous in the redundancy terms but where did the money come from. The taxpayer, No, the miners themselves indirectly. From being the countries largest pension fund in 1985, the government takes a annual levy from the fund, last year it was about 385 million and this fund, built up by miners contributions is now in deficit under the FSR17 rules
Now back in the early eighties the Isle of Man photographer Chris Killip had an exhibition called the A1000, tracking the road from London to the North East and depressing stuff it was, however it gave a tremendous insight to people?s lives, and the further north you went, the more depressing it was. However looking at the people of the North East ,the seacoalers and the locals, the had a huge amount of spirit in them, that?s gone.
Factories like Sony and other manufacturing conglomerates have opened up in various parts of the country, subsidised by the Government to open in depressed areas, however every ten years the agreement expires and the company puts their business out to tender in Europe, looking for the best deal to open a factory, That?s no way to run a country or Europe for that matter.
What about the rest of Britain, did it do anything to improve the lives of others. No. Cheap fuel, for job insecurity is not a good deal.
The importation of cheap fuel was the thin edge of the wedge for other industries, look today at Banking in London, 100,000 jobs have gone in the last three years, these are jobs which brought in huge benefits to the rest of the country, they have gone along with the training, which made Britain the greatest baking country in the world.
Mrs Thatcher had a vision for Britain, which I think she would agree is not the Britain we see today,and which has failed in it?s objectives.
Jonboy
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Bruce Barnard
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:40 am
The Power of the word Scab
Whilst the strike may have allowed a tiny percentage of oiks to gain employment as middle managers in electrical factories or industrial estates (which were of course funded by government subsidy rather then the wheels of free enterprise), all the BMW's and new build housing estates in the world can never replace the loss of pride.
Please excuse the personal testimony:
It?s 1984, I?m fourteen, my dad?s a copper from a mining family who is policing the picket line. I run downstairs one morning and notice that there?s a letter for me. Something of a rare event in my youth. I eagerly tear open the envelope to discover an A4 sheet of paper. Two words written in red ink:
SCAB?S SON
It came for my grandmother. She died last year. She never spoke to me again, never saw her great grandchildren, never made piece with her son. Like I said, I was 14 years of age.
The working class community were destroyed by both government and union, and Dibble?s concept that all is now peachy, seems to imply that it?s been a while since he returned to roots in his ?52,000 car.
Please excuse the personal testimony:
It?s 1984, I?m fourteen, my dad?s a copper from a mining family who is policing the picket line. I run downstairs one morning and notice that there?s a letter for me. Something of a rare event in my youth. I eagerly tear open the envelope to discover an A4 sheet of paper. Two words written in red ink:
SCAB?S SON
It came for my grandmother. She died last year. She never spoke to me again, never saw her great grandchildren, never made piece with her son. Like I said, I was 14 years of age.
The working class community were destroyed by both government and union, and Dibble?s concept that all is now peachy, seems to imply that it?s been a while since he returned to roots in his ?52,000 car.
Re: The Power of the word Scab
That is an extrememly powerful piece of personal history. I thank you for sharing it.
I for one do not recognise the vision of a 'Stepford Britain' beloved of some and trotted out by this rancid government as examples of economic competence. Theme parks and tourist attractions cannot replace that which has been ripped out of the nation over the last three decades.
Something died in those communities that has never been replaced and the whole country is poorer socially and culturally as a result. The economic effects are obvious, even beyond personal poverty.
A sense of place and identity becomes ever more important as the world shrinks and globalisation consumes us.
I for one do not recognise the vision of a 'Stepford Britain' beloved of some and trotted out by this rancid government as examples of economic competence. Theme parks and tourist attractions cannot replace that which has been ripped out of the nation over the last three decades.
Something died in those communities that has never been replaced and the whole country is poorer socially and culturally as a result. The economic effects are obvious, even beyond personal poverty.
A sense of place and identity becomes ever more important as the world shrinks and globalisation consumes us.
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Bruce Barnard
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:40 am
Re: The Power of the word Scab
Nicely put Magoo.
People need to start forgetting the past, or ultimately it will destroy them.
Sadly, most folk tend to be stupid, a trait shared by humanity regardless of their annual income. I?m not the type to eulogise my working class brethren, given that the vast majority of them could instantly improve their lot by picking up a book or visiting a library.
That said the concept that the working classes are ecstatically happy now heavy industry has been systematically destroyed is laughable. Mining may not have been a career any father wanted his son to undertake, but it at least provided a sense of community, worth and value. When the pits closed, entire communities died on their arse. Any one who is cynically minded should visit the South Wales valleys, it provides ample evidence to confirm my point. It is an environment where the sky is always grey, although the key colour nowadays is the flood of ?brown?, which seems to fill a void among the first generation to grow up without the comfort blanket of decent paid work to validate them as human beings.
Back to Dibble's original point:
Smack dealers serving up ?10 bags can often be seen patrolling the Caucasian ghetto where I grew up, driving the latest BMW or Audio as a status symbol. You?ll find most people have more respect for the hard working geezer down the road who works for minimum wage and drives a battered Fiesta.
People need to start forgetting the past, or ultimately it will destroy them.
Sadly, most folk tend to be stupid, a trait shared by humanity regardless of their annual income. I?m not the type to eulogise my working class brethren, given that the vast majority of them could instantly improve their lot by picking up a book or visiting a library.
That said the concept that the working classes are ecstatically happy now heavy industry has been systematically destroyed is laughable. Mining may not have been a career any father wanted his son to undertake, but it at least provided a sense of community, worth and value. When the pits closed, entire communities died on their arse. Any one who is cynically minded should visit the South Wales valleys, it provides ample evidence to confirm my point. It is an environment where the sky is always grey, although the key colour nowadays is the flood of ?brown?, which seems to fill a void among the first generation to grow up without the comfort blanket of decent paid work to validate them as human beings.
Back to Dibble's original point:
Smack dealers serving up ?10 bags can often be seen patrolling the Caucasian ghetto where I grew up, driving the latest BMW or Audio as a status symbol. You?ll find most people have more respect for the hard working geezer down the road who works for minimum wage and drives a battered Fiesta.
Re: The Miners Strike - 20 Years On
Even I am aware the reason everyone APPEARS to be driving nice top class cars is because the whole country and his wife are surrounded by debt and higher purchases. Not to be confused with increased personal wealth. As far the rest of the thread goes I am totally unqualified to comment....but what sort of car does Mr Dibble have to cost 52K? and how many ivory tusks did that actually take to save up them pennies?
mmm Alex Kramer
Re: The Miners Strike - 20 Years On
I notice the term "increased personal wealth" is being used nowadays with reference to the spiralling house prices. The extra money you can get from selling your property is feck all use unless you move downmarket.
Mart
Mart
Re: The Miners Strike - 20 Years On
.......and I've been 'supplementing' me diet by nicking the pit-pony's hay, so my weight is now back up to a hefty 5 stone.
Whehey !!
[Don't let the Ossifer know, or he'll sell another couple of me kids to make good the shortfall....]
Whehey !!
[Don't let the Ossifer know, or he'll sell another couple of me kids to make good the shortfall....]
"a harmless drudge, that busies himself in tracing the original, and detailing the
signification...."
signification...."