Michael Steele
American politician (born 1958)
Arthur Scargill
British trade unionist
Arthur Scargill was a British trade unionist who led the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1982 to 2002. He is best known for leading the 1984u20131985 UK miners’ strike, a major event in the history of the British labor movement. Scargill joined the NUM at the age of 19 in 1957 and became one of its leading activists by the late 1960s, playing a key role in various strikes throughout the 1970s.
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About the Arthur Scargill
Arthur Scargillis a British trade unionist who was President of the National Union of Mineworkersfrom 1982 to 2002. He is best known for leading the 1984-1985 UK miners’ strike, a major event in the history of the British labour movement.
Joining the NUM at the age of 19 in 1957, Scargill was one of its leading activists by the late 1960s. He led an unofficial strike in 1969, and played a key organising role during the strikes of 1972 and 1974, the latter of which played a part in the downfall of Edward Heath’s Conservative government.
Thereafter Scargill led the NUM through the 1984-1985 miners’ strike. It turned into a confrontation with the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher in which the miners’ union was defeated. Initially a Young Communist League member, then a Labour Party member, Scargill is now deputy leader of the Socialist Labour Party (SLP), having founded the party in 1996 and served as its leader from the party’s foundation until 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Arthur Scargill was born on January 11, 1938.
Arthur Scargill was the President of the NUM from 1982 to 2002, a period of 20 years.
The 1984–1985 UK miners’ strike was a major event in the history of the British labor movement that Arthur Scargill led as the President of the NUM.
Arthur Scargill was initially a member of the Young Communist League, then the Labour Party, and later founded the Socialist Labour Party (SLP) in 1996, serving as its leader until 2024.
Arthur Scargill played a key organizing role during the strikes of 1972 and 1974, the latter of which contributed to the downfall of Edward Heath’s Conservative government.
Arthur Scargill joined the NUM at the age of 19 in 1957 and was one of its leading activists by the late 1960s, leading an unofficial strike in 1969.
The 1984–1985 miners’ strike led by Arthur Scargill turned into a confrontation with the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher, in which the miners’ union was ultimately defeated.
9 Quotes by Arthur Scargill
- 1.
If you’ve got an industry where you’ve got massive investment, it doesn’t matter whether you bring in alternative supplies. You still lose the money on that industry.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 2.
All too often miners, and indeed other trade unionists, underestimate the economic strength they have.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 3.
Yet what you need is not marches, demonstrations, rallies or wide associations, all of them are important. What you need is direct action. The sooner people understand that, the sooner we’ll begin to change things.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 4.
You may see the emergence of a new political party from the body of the trade union movement which represents a very clear-cut socialist alternative policy and which gives expression to the views of the trade union movement in parliament.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 5.
Contrast that with the call of the Liberal Democrats in April, when they were prepared to call upon the British people to participate in a 24-hour strike. It shows how far to the right the Labour Party’s gone.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 6.
There’s a feeling that strength is determined by the size of a union. That clearly is nonsense.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 7.
The trouble with the Labour Party leadership and the trade union leadership, they’re quite willing to applaud millions on the streets of the Philippines or in Eastern Europe, without understanding the need to also produce millions of people on the streets of Britain.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 8.
The labour movement had the best opportunity in 50 years to transform not merely an industrial situation and win an important battle for workers in struggle, but an opportunity to change the government of the day.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist
- 9.
The trade unions and the Labour Party… failed miserably. Instead of giving concrete support, and calling upon workers to take industrial action, they did nothing.
Arthur ScargillBritish trade unionist