"The story of the 1984-5 miners' strike will be remembered in Labour history along with the Levellers, the Tolpuddle Martyrs and all those who have fought for workers' rights. The so-called Dirty Thirty were immensely courageous Leicestershire miners who stood up for their beliefs in solidarity with the NUM against those who were planning to give way. For these reasons David Bell's book is of the greatest importance." — Tony BennThe miners’ strike of 1984-85 came to be called the "Great Strike", with good reason. It was the largest, longest trade union struggle in Britain, and the most far reaching in its consequences, since the 1926 General Strike. For a whole year, some 170,000 miners, plus the women of the mining communities, battled against everything the government and the police threw at them. Only 30 miners out of 2,000 from the Leicestershire coalfield struck against the pit closure programme. They became renowned as The Dirty Thirty and travelled the world for the strike fund selling badges, mugs and vests, making speeches and supporting the other 170,000 strikers in the biggest industrial conflict.David Bell has interviewed most of the surviving miners and the women’s support group to find out why they struck, and why they held out for so long.The Dirty Thirty is illustrated throughout with period photographs and ephemera.Published to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike. The story of the miners, and their wives and families courage, humour and an unbreakable will to win.
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