FORMER miners’ leader Arthur Scargill said the trade union movement today can learn from the actions of the miners in their 1984 strike against pit closures.
The strike began 40 years ago on March 6, when miners at Cortonwood colliery in Yorkshire walked out after the pit’s closure was announced.
Mr Scargill is attending events in former pit communities marking the anniversary.
At Dodworth miners’ welfare near Barnsley, former miners and their families gathered on Saturday with Mr Scargill as guest of honour.
He said: “It’s important to come today to pay tribute to the miners, their families and the women against pit closures who fought so hard during 1984 and 1985.
“The important thing is, people stood together — all over Britain and all over the world we became known for sticking to principles.
“It was an important part of history.”
Mr Scargill is due to speak at the former mining community of Hatfield, near Doncaster, on Saturday.
