ABSTRACT
The Glasshoughton branch, a branch with a coalfield wide reputation for moderation, urged the Yorkshire Area to actively resist the implementation of the Housing Finance Act. Historically, government has been a more or less permanent factor in the politics of the coal industry, a factor confirmed in 1972. In the spirit of cooperation the National Coal Board suggested a joint sub-committee to examine ways of paying the wages sought by the National Union of Mine-workers (NUM). On 23 January the Yorkshire Area Executive met in special emergency session to discuss negotiations. The basis of negotiation changed with Labour’s election and the NEC decided not to depart from its basic wage claim and sought a number of improvements. Once the election had been called and once the NUM had refused to suspend its action, there could be no negotiated settlement.
