Film Number

7480

Title

MINERS' GALA, MANCHESTER [PRIVATISATION AND VICTIMISATION WORKSHOPS]

Producer

WFA

Date

1989

Gauge

U-matic HB

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Running Time

60 mins 00 secs

Description

Event at the 5th Anniversary Gala of the 1984/5 Miners' Strike at Manchester Town Hall on 4th March 1989. Privatisation workshop in one of the Committee Rooms. Panel of miners and audience, chaired by a miner. Billy Pye from Parkside Colliery gives description about how power is being privatised and suggests how a unity of action could be relevant with NHS. Contributions from the floor include a miner describing what it's like in a private pit. All speakers concur about unified action with different unions as only way to success. Councillor Holme talks about privatisation in local authorities. Followed by Victimisation workshop where the Chair contextualises the practice which is as old as the labour movement itself. Methods used to be cruder. How to combat more refined methods. Dennis Pennington, victimised miner, speaks about his experience. He hasn't worked since his imprisonment during the strike and describes mental stress and self-pity.

[Catalogued as part of 'Revitalising the Regions' a Screen Heritage UK project, 2011]