Transport union RMT today threw its full support behind calls from Ian Lavery MP for an open and public inquiry into the state involvement in the miners strike 30 years ago which fitted up and framed individual mineworkers and their supporters in a top level campaign to break entire working class communities.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said,

“This year’s 30th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike is not only an opportunity to mark the extraordinary courage and determination of the mining communities in the teeth of the full force of a state-sponsored operation to break them, but also gives us a chance to ignite the same kind of fighting spirit and unity that we need to counter the attacks that the unions and the working class are under today.

"RMT fully supports the efforts by Ian Lavery to open the files and drag out the truth of the state campaign to criminalise the mineworkers, their supporters and their communities.

“Many NUR and NUS activists were victimised, hounded and sacked for acting in solidarity with the miners and RMT will be supporting events the length and breadth of the country this year to mark the struggle of 1984/85 and to demand justice for communities that were wrecked and individuals who were framed during the state operation against the unions. The fight goes on.”