Streic y Glowyr - 1984-85

Gwelwyd newidiadau mawr yn y diwydiant glo wedi’r gwladoli ym 1947. Buddsoddodd y llywodraeth swm sylweddol o arian yn y diwydiant a alluogodd iddo gyflwyno offer a thechnegau cloddio newydd. Arhosodd y lefelau cynhyrchu a chyflogaeth yn sefydlog tan ganol y 1950au ond, gyda’r gostyngiad yn y galw am lo a’r her o olew’r Dwyrain Canol, caewyd 50 o byllau glo yn ne Cymru rhwng 1957 a 1964.

Yn ystod y 1970au, gwelodd y diwydiant ddwy streic fawr. Ym 1972, ildiodd y Prif Weinidog Ceidwadol, Edward Heath, i’r glowyr a aeth ar streic am fwy o gyflog. Pan ddechreuodd streic arall ym 1974, galwodd Mr Heath am etholiad cyffredinol yn syth gan obeithio cael cefnogaeth y cyhoedd yn erbyn y glowyr. Ond pleidleisiodd y cyhoedd yn ei erbyn gan roi buddugoliaeth i’r Blaid Lafur.

Erbyn y 1980au, roedd diwydiant glo Prydain ymhlith y mwyaf diogel ac effeithlon yn y byd. Fodd bynnag, pan ddaeth y llywodraeth Geidwadol newydd i rym dan arweiniad Margaret Thatcher, roedd am wneud y diwydiant yn fwy effeithlon trwy leihau’r hyn yr oedd yn eu hystyried fel diwydiannau amhroffidiol. O dan ei harweiniad trosglwyddwyd nifer o'r diwydiannau a oedd gynt yn cael eu rhedeg gan y wladwriaeth megis nwy, dŵr a'r rheilffyrdd i berchnogaeth y sector breifat, mewn geiriau eraill cawsant eu preifateiddio. Telecom Prydain oedd y darparwr gwasanaeth cyntaf i gael ei ddadwladoli ym 1984 gyda sawl un arall yn dilyn dros y blynyddoedd canlynol. Ar yr un pryd, roedd am wanhau grym yr undebau llafur a oedd, yn ei thyb hi, wedi dod yn rhy bwerus. Arweiniodd yr agenda hwn at wrthdaro rhwng y llywodraeth Geidwadol ac Undeb Cenedlaethol y Glowyr (NUM). Trodd y Bwrdd Glo Cenedlaethol yn Glo Prydain ym 1987 yn barod i'w breifateiddio, a digwyddodd hynny ym 1994.

Streic y Glowyr - 1984-1985

strike-cy.pdf

Picedi, Plismon, a Gleidyddiaeth - Streic y Glowyr 1984-1985

sylw - (4)

Nid yw sylwadau ar gael ar hyn o bryd. Ymddiheuriadau am yr anghyfleustra.

Ceri Thompson Staff Amgueddfa Cymru

26 Ionawr 2021, 11:42

Dear Gemma Harris,

Thanks for your query, I'll contact you via Email if that's ok.

Best wishes

Ceri Thompson, Curator Big Pit: National Coal Museum.

Gemma Harris

25 Ionawr 2021, 16:27

Hello. This is a wonderful archive.
I am currently undertaking a PhD on the Women's Involvement in the Miner's Strike particularly in the South Wales valleys in 1984 at the University of South Wales in Treforest.
I have just received my ethics approval to undertake interviews with those who were there. Obviously, in the current climate, it's impossible to conduct these face to face.
I am just wondering if you know of anyone who was involved in the support groups in the South Wales valleys who would be willing to fill a questionnaire for me and possibly undertake an interview via telephone or facetime (Facebook messenger can be used as well)
All data will be anonymous and destroyed once used in the research. If anyone would be willing to help that would be fantastic.
I feel that women's story needs to be told and as the daughter of an Oakdale miner who lived through the strike this is more than just an academic project for me.

Ceri Thompson Staff Amgueddfa Cymru

10 Tachwedd 2020, 16:48

Dear Billie Human,

Thanks for your comments, it's good to remember that closures weren't only confined to the coal industry. Interesting to read about your background especially has Big Pit has had close links with Camborne School of Mines, including having some of their students working as placements with us.

It might interest you to know that I spent a year picketing with Cwm Colliery NUM and my wife is nursing, so we have a bit in common.

I'm not sure what the situation was in the opencast mines during the strike as the workers weren't in the NUM; I believe that they were in the Transport and General Union and refused to move coal during that year, but will try and do a bit more research into the subject.

If you have any more queries, or just fancy a discussion, you can contact me at ceri.thompson@museumwales.ac.uk

Best wishes

Ceri Thompson, Curator, Big Pit: National Coal Museum

BillieHuman

6 Tachwedd 2020, 08:06

I have a question which 36 years after the wrecking of communities will be painful to EVERYONE. Before I ask it I'll tell you a bit about myself.
Im a worker, i actually love working, my vocation is nursing, I just don't have it in me to stand by and do nothing and watch people being abused, bullied, conned.

I grew up in the Far South West of Cornwall Tin Mining country. At the time of the Coal mining strikes (1980s) they were also closing the Cornish Tin Mines. Proper mines, dangerous hard dirty work but respectful to enviroment and industries which communities were built around. Not open cast like North Cornwall.

I remember my dad, a vicar, holding the banner when the Cornish miners marched in London. Prehaps it was my dads ethics and morals and to a certian extent politics (although he had a strike rule NEVER to mix politics and the pulpit) that have made me the person I am.

Unions are EXTREMELY important, unfortunate too many people don't understand the history or the principles of unions or how they work.

Im 4 yrs homeless 2yrs rough sleeping I'm forced to watch communities ripped apart by scab types.

My question how many scabs worked open cast mines?

Please contact me OUR COMMUNITIES NEED JUSTICE!!!