A History Question for the Brits (English?)

[Trainer Monkey]

Interestingly enougth, the mines were making money, it was political, after the goverment got coal from Germany at £10 a ton dearer, work that one out

Political as in what? The unions need to be brought down a notch or two?

Thats more or less what Reagan did with the Air Traffic Controlers,it wasnt that the demands couldnt have been easily met,it was to show they could do it.

[CGM]

Interestingly enougth, the mines were making money, it was political, after the goverment got coal from Germany at £10 a ton dearer, work that one out

Political as in what? The unions need to be brought down a notch or two?

Thats more or less what Reagan did with the Air Traffic Controlers,it wasnt that the demands couldnt have been easily met,it was to show they could do it.

OK, I can see that, except in England miners case case if I read it right, there was some kind of political motive in shutting down the mines, some motive that existed befiore the strike ever got started? And I was hypothesizing that the unions were too powerful for Thatcher's liking even before the big strike. See the difference?

[JazMerkin]

Political as in what? The unions need to be brought down a notch or two?

Thats more or less what Reagan did with the Air Traffic Controlers,it wasnt that the demands couldnt have been easily met,it was to show they could do it.

OK, I can see that, except in England miners case case if I read it right, there was some kind of political motive in shutting down the mines, some motive that existed befiore the strike ever got started? And I was hypothesizing that the unions were too powerful for Thatcher's liking even before the big strike. See the difference?

There was fear over the Unions becoming too powerful & too great a force for the left. In the 70's they had said that Arthur Scargill, leader of the National Union of Mineworkers, had more clout than the Prime Minister. I think this is why Thatcher wanted to break them

[Trainer Monkey]

Oh there was a political motive behind the Reagan firings as well,it was like when a mobster hits another mobster,a not so nice way of saying,"See what I can do to you" as a way to keep the unions from actually pressuring for better pay,and better rights.
It was strike breaking on a goverment level

[Scrap]

If I remember correctly we had just entered the European Market. Now if as I remember, there was some funny dealings going on with Countrys giving concessions to others for Political gain and money.