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+--- Thread: Tower Coalmine Closes (/thread-1701.html)
Tower Coalmine Closes - Martin - 27-Jan-2008
Now this is a real success story.
quote:
When the Conservative government declared their colliery 'unviable' in 1994, the miners invested their redundancy money in keeping their workplace and community alive. Tony Heath reports on their triumph.
The story of Tower is one that has inspired, and will continue to inspire, generations of working people given formal notice that they, and what they make, are no longer wanted. Some 13 years ago, the colliery was called "unviable" by tunnel-visioned know-alls at British Coal. Michael Heseltine, then President of the Board of Trade, let it be known that reprieve was out of the question. The pit was closed that April. Tyrone O'Sullivan, Tower's National Union of Mineworkers lodge secretary since 1973, and his co-workers thought – knew – otherwise. Men who daily went underground to work the anthracite seams maintained that there was at least five years' life in the pit.
And so, 239 determined men chipped in with £8,000 of their redundancy pay-off to buy Tower.
Full Story
- noel - 27-Jan-2008
It's good to see endeavour rewarded in the face of bureaucracy. It gave the men another 14 years work. O'Sullivan, I believe it was said the mine had been his "mistress" or 40 years.
Taking things a bit far? [:p]
- Spitfire - 27-Jan-2008
These men obviously know what they are doing and are not in it for a fast profit. When the land is sold they have stipulated that it will for the good of the community and it`s children and that local jobs must be created. That is a shining example to everyone. I have always said that to get the best out of anyone - they must own a slice of the cake.