- Title: BELGIUM: MINERS STRIKE AGAINST THREATENED CLOSURE OF UNECONOMIC PITS.
- Date: 17th March 1965
- Summary: 1. GV PAN.. FROM MINE TO MINERS ON STRIKE AT BATTERIE 0.13 2. SV MINERS 0.16 3. LV PAN ..DITTO 0.23 4. LV SLOGANS ON WALL 0.27 5. LV LOCOMOTIVE AT TAMINES PAN TO MINE SHAFT 0.34 6. GV ANOTHER MINE IDOL 0.37 7. LV MINE SHAFT 0.40 Initials DS/V/AW/EEH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 1st April 1965 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LIEGE & TAMINES, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVA8BF7Q4NLP0K5P1GR166JMJS1J
- Story Text: A SPATE OF SIT-IN STRIKES HAS ERUPTED ON EASTERN BELGIUM'S COALFIELD AS A PROTEST AGAINST THE THREATENED CLOSURE OF A NUMBER OF MINES. THE STRIKES BEGAN EARLIER THIS WEEK AND SO FAR HAS BEEN CONFINED TO PITS AROUND LIEGE AND TAMINES.
A NUMBER OF MINES AROUND THE TWO TOWNS HAVE BEEN SET-DOWN FOR CLOSURE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A PLAN TO RATIONALIZE THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY'S COAL INDUSTRY. AT ONE PIT NEAR LIEGE, 80 MINERS ARE UNDERGROUND AND THEY HAVE SAID THEY WILL STAY THERE UNTIL THE FINISH.
THE MINERS ARE DEMANDING FIRM GUARANTEES OF FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AND POSTPONEMENT OF CLOSURE. A NUMBER OF THE MINES ARE TO BE SHUT ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH, AND DESPITE THE STRIKE ACTION MANAGEMENT HAS ANNOUNCED THAT CLOSURE OF THE PITS AFFECTED UNDER THE PLAN WILL NOT BE PUT OFF.
THE MAJORITY OF THE STRIKERS ARE FOREIGN, AND THEY FEAR RETURN TO THEIR HOMELANDS IF THE MINES CLOSE. THE ONLY ACTIVITY AT THE PITS IS THE USE OF THE MINE-SHAFT LIFTS THREE TIMES A DAY TO TAKE FOOD DOWN TO THE STRIKERS - ALL OF WHOM ARE ABOUT TWO-THOUSAND FEET (600 METRES) BELOW THE SURFACE.
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