Mine-strike talks uncertain

Press, 31 January 1985, Page 10

Mine-strike talks uncertain

NZPA-Reuter London The prospect of peace talks in Britain’s long-run-ning and damaging coal strike was uncertain yesterday. Miners’ leaders were to consider yet another ultimatum that they agree to closure of money-losing pits.

The two sides had “talks about talks” for three hours yesterday but failed to

agree on an agenda for fresh negotiations to end the strike, now in its fortyseventh week.

Both sides said that they would go away and consider the results of the meeting, the strike leaders today and the National Coal Board tomorrow.

A board spokesman, Michael Eaton, expressed disappointment that they

had not found a real basis for new negotiations. The board, which loses more than £1 billion a year, wanted the union to agree in writing to discuss “the path by which uneconomic pits must close,” he said. The union, which argues that only pits that are unsafe or have no more coal should close, has repeatedly

refused to do so. Its national executive t was considering its next move today. The drift back to work, which began in November, has slowed this week in anticipation of peace talks. The board says that 78,000 of the union’s 188,000 members are at work and that 76 of its 174 pits are producing coal. The union rejects that.