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The first miners’ strike since 1926 began Jan to Feb 1972 over wages and a large pay rise was granted finally. During the strike the various jobs I did are listed. NACODS members worked normally.
Another National Strike
A further National Strike occurred, lasting from 11th Febuary to 11th March 1974. This time the Deputies NACODS union withheld their labour and Management staff BACM kept the pits open on safety cover only. Further increase in wages and other concessions granted.
On most these jobs I was accompanied by another, including the Chief Mining Engineer,
Director of Opencast, Undermanager, Area planners and other departments at HQ and the colliery but on two occasions I was underground some 3 and 4 miles in bye on my own,
because someone had not turned up, but the job had to be done. I used to phone through to
the Control room about every hour to inform them where I was. On the last occasion I had to
use the last man push button, operated from inside the cage to ring off and also to inform the
engine man and Banksman that the pit was clear.
The only job I did not do was winding and that was the first job they asked me to do, I said I would do it if they could not get anybody else. However several other volunteers did thus allowing me to do the jobs listed below.
'I might add that I was roster manager'.
It was found, by the senior staff personnel who were with me, that some men had a 'cushy
number' and that in future some would have to do another job as well.
The 1984-1985 Strike
During the strike when Nottinghamshire miners were working, apart from normal surveying duties on surface, office and underground, my part to keep the pit open from Jan 1984 to Mar 1985 at weekends, Bank holidays mainly on afternoon shift and including Boxing Day (you never get that back). Ollerton was besieged several times by many flying pickets from Yorkshire.
They had shot themselves in the foot! If we had not done those jobs we would never have found out what the men actually did.
Over the 3 strike periods 1972, 1974, 1984/85 and Overtime bans, and NACODS strike in May 1985 I did 29 different jobs, probably more than any other person. At the end of the day Ollerton colliery was closed prematurely and I believe deliberately to allow Thoresby Colliery to continue as the reserves there in Parkgate were depleting fast. A further 10 years of production from the old Ollerton take was worked from Thoresby
Jobs done in the 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1984 Strikes and overtime bans
1 Weighing Lorries at Landsale.
2 Oiling winding rope.
3 Cleaning boiler blown down pond.
4 Settling pond, releasing water.
5 Riding shotgun to Westminster bank in Mansfield for wages.
6 Putting up wages and checking pensions.
7 Draining No 3 slurry lagoon.
8 Icy, sanding rails and points.
9 Lowering wagons under screens.
10 Screens, filling wagons with coal.
11 Cleaning up dirt belt spillage.
12 Cleaning up coal belt spillage.
13 Cross belt spillage.
14 Drift belt spillage.
15 Underground … Top Hard 34s Booster fan readings. (Alone in the pit twice).
16 Air samples from heating site at 20s Airway.
17 20s face fall measures.
18 Driving Draper’s Paddy.
19 Deputy duties for roadways and panel.
20 Top Hard Methane pump monitoring.
21 Top Hard 44s Airway exam.
22 Surface boilers, firing and de-ashing by hand.
23 Onsetting No 1 skip shaft.
24 Onsetting No 2 pit bottom and ‘last man push’.
25 Assisted measuring overwind distances with engineers.
26 Pumping in No 2 pit bottom.
27 Repairing a broken grate chain in a hot boiler.
28 Cleaning Pit Head Baths.
29 Diesel loco to fetch load of coal for boilers and filling hoppers.
30 Checked Water softener.
1984 NUM strike period
31 Power House, reading dials and booking every hour.
32 Main fan readings every hour.
33 Lound Hall lecturing.
34 Banksman No 2 Shaft.
35 Banksman No 1 Skip Shaft.
36 Lamp Room duties topping up batteries.
37 Switching Compressors on and off.
38 Control Room duties, monitoring and telephone etc.
39 Surface Workshop off-loading a pump.
40 Seminar SJAB hut.
41 Lamp Room servicing oil lamps.
42 No 2 Shaft exam on top of cage.
43 Switching water valves on and off.
44 Security duties.
1985 NACODS unrest period
45 Underground, checking auxiliary fans, Parkgate seam.
46 Underground, checking trunk conveyors, Parkgate seam.
Total of 46 different jobs done during Overtime bans and Strike periods.
The only job I didn’t do was winding which was the first job I was offered. Looking back it would have been a much easier job and not so tiring.
This is the basic description of each job. It is written out fully in my work diaries.
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