Wales and the Miners' Strikes

Strikes by Welsh coalminers had met with variable success until the strike of 1984-85, which undeniably ended badly for the workers. This was a traumatic strike for many reasons, both during and after the action; despite all efforts the end results were pit closures, devastating job losses, the crushing of the NUM and of whole Welsh communities. Through all the hardship, however, stories of togetherness and solidarity resonate to this day, often with women at their heart. The women of the mining communities, often joining forces with women supporters in other UK coalfields, came into their own during this one brutal year. The skills and confidence they acquired prepared the ground for a new Welsh politics in which women and women's groups became significantly more prominent. This collection highlights the efforts of these heroic women, as well as the thoughts and views of many miners on and off the picket line; there is even a message of transatlantic goodwill and solidarity. One message above all is abundantly clear from these films: this strike was not endured for jobs and wages alone, and while its material aims were ultimately crushed, there remains a hard-won legacy in Wales.