23.02.1995

Forcing Richard to budge

WELL, the pleasantries have been exchanged and British Coal has been signed over to RJ Budge Mining. But after a few joint meetings with the NEC of the union and then a full delegates’ meeting with the company, the fat is once more perilously close to the fire.

It seems that Budge will recognise the union, but won’t agree a conciliation scheme to do so. Neither will the company agree to sit down and debate wages and conditions with the union on this or any other occasion. You get what you’re given - in this case a three year pay freeze.

Time off for union duties by branch officials has been hinted at, but nothing in terms of actually being given a day off. Likewise union facilities, reluctantly allowed on most British Coal establishments, have yet to be secured. So, yes - they will ‘recognise’ the union. They just don’t intend to take any notice of it.

Salt is being ground into the wound by the decision of Mr Budge to receive a 23% increase on his own salary on the day of privatisation, taking his salary to £290,000 a year, plus £50,000 in bonuses - you can’t live on a basic wage, can you?

His own share in the company now stands at 11 million, so one can’t be too careful. It could however become a house of cards. The NUM, small and battered though it is, is not here taking on a state company with bottomless coffers. RJB is standing on the very brink of a financial precipice. If the company has misread the mood of the workforce in this very delicate transition period of stocks and shares and market fluctuations, he may reap a whirlwind.

The die is not yet cast and RJB have at this stage promised to reconsider the position which wasn’t “cast in stone”. A ballot result will have to be worked for despite the genuine disappointment, widespread across Budge’s collieries. A victory at this stage for the NUM would be just what is needed to restore flagging spirits and some shortfall in membership renewal.

PS - Does this mean I don’t get the job?

Dave Douglass

Vice chair of South Yorkshire NUM panel