This episode of Calendar Commentary is a special that focuses entirely on the Miners' Strike, the effect it is having on other areas such as the economy, and polarized public opinion. This episode begins with co-host Geoff Druett introducing the show, he begins by noting that as of when the episode was recorded the Miners' Strike had just begun its fifth week and that throughout the episode various aspects of the dispute which have divided an industry and union will be...

This episode of Calendar Commentary is a special that focuses entirely on the Miners' Strike, the effect it is having on other areas such as the economy, and polarized public opinion. This episode begins with co-host Geoff Druett introducing the show, he begins by noting that as of when the episode was recorded the Miners' Strike had just begun its fifth week and that throughout the episode various aspects of the dispute which have divided an industry and union will be discussed. The show then pans to co-host Richard Whiteley who launches into discussion about the current strikes occurring in Yorkshire, he notes that throughout the past 4 weeks the miners have remained solid and engaged in picketing as well as referencing a previous ballot from two years ago that states 80% of Cortonwood miners would strike if pit closures were to take place. The first interview of this episode then takes place, containing Richard Whiteley and Jack Taylor (Yorkshire President of the NUM), the pair discuss rumours of the strike collapsing and the durability of the strike in regards to Nottinghamshire who for the majority have continued to work. Jack Taylor discusses the potentially of a ballot and declares that he personally doesn't believe in the importance of a ballot as he doesn't think anyone else should have the right to vote away another man's job. This segment then ends with a promise to see Taylor again later in the show. The episode then returns to Geoff Druett as he states his opinion on the previous five weeks having a negative impact by obscuring the basic issue for the strike and its reasoning, as well as remarking that an average of 40 pits have been open so far during the strike and furthermore coal has still been moving through the country just less than usual. The show then moves onto an interview between Geoff Druett and Michael Eaton (the Area Director of the North Yorkshire Coal Field), Eaton states that the key purpose of the strike is the coal industry and it may be misleading to over emphasize the political side of it for fear of losing track of the true argument. Richard Whiteley then brings attention to hearing members of Parliaments side as well as bringing up that there has been little noise from the Parliamentary Labour party on the dispute (no endorsement or call for a national ballot). To help discuss these topics Whiteley introduces Kevin Barron (Labour MP for Rother Valley), they confer about the talks happening to sort the dispute, Nottinghamshire coalfields, debates on the policing of the picketing, and the NCB versus the NUM. The show then reverts to Geoff Druett who discloses the repercussions of the strike that are already being felt in other parts of industry, for example 160 contractors at the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe. Druett notes that the plant in Scunthorpe is working at 50% capacity due to the lack of coal supplies and if there is no change in the next 2-3 weeks 6000 steel workers would lose their jobs. Richard Hickment (Conservative MP for Glanford and Scunthorpe) is then introduced onto the show to discuss the threat Scunthorpe is facing, he states that the threat consists of the blast furnaces and coke ovens being without the coal needed for them to properly work leading to dampness and irreparable damage to the structures themselves (throughout this segment videos of the plant are shown as well as the cooling towers). Richard Whiteley then presents Andrew Roth (Parliamentary correspondent) on the show to confer about the Government's stance in this/it's plan to intervene if one exists, the worry of the Government, and the silence of Neil Kinnock (Leader of the Labour party). For the last segment of this special Druett pulls together the threads of issues mentioned by bringing back into the studio Jack Taylor, Michael Eaton, Kevin Barron, and Richard Hickmet. The debate style conversation between the four consists of ideas to sort out the dispute, compulsory redundancies and the truth of the origins of the strike. Richard Whiteley wraps up the end of this episode, the credits roll whilst an image of Westminster Abbey is shown/theme tune is played. Presenters RICHARD WHITELEY & GEOFF DRUETT Featuring KEVIN BARRON, MICHAEL EATON, RICHARD HICKMET, ANDREW ROTH, JACK TAYLOR Editorial Assistant ALI RASHID Director PADDY RUSSELL Executive Producer GRAHAM IRONSIDE YTV LIMITED 1984 YORKSHIRE TELEVISION PRODUCTION