mining - more jobs at a price
WORKERS, FEBRUARY 2004 ISSUE
Only one deep mine exists in what was the North Yorkshire coalfield - Kellingley, the 'Big K'. Only 550 miners remain - a reduction of 75% during the last 20 years. Between 137 and 240 jobs are to be created at Kellingley for men from the closing Selby complex.
But the jobs come at a price. The five-day working agreement is to be scrapped for seven-day working with 12-hour shifts at weekends and the scrapping of overtime.
Naturally the NUM is incensed at this attack on long-established working conditions. But hard choices have to be faced. Saving jobs and scrapping overtime means keeping more miners in the industry. More miners' jobs mean seedcorn for a future revival of the industry by preserving the skills and fraternity among the workforce.