Tower Colliery closes

[spartan]

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/25/miners-march-to-mark-tower-colliery-closure-91466-20395215/

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/19/looking-back-at-tower-s-history-91466-20368970/

It is a sad day today as the workers run Tower Colliery mine, in south Wales, closed today because they have finally exhausted all coal thats left to mine.

Tower Colliery was facing closure during the 80's and early 90's, but in 1995 the workers of Tower Colliery made history by buying the mine out from its owners and running it as a Workers Cooperative, where all the workers owned an equal share of their workplace.

As the only wholly employee-owned mine in the world, pit owners from Cuba to Azerbaijan flocked to Wales to see how it worked.

I would just like to say well done to all the miners who took on the establishment and won, you have made history by being the first successful Workers Cooperative in Wales and your struggle will not be forgotten.

Whilst others retreated in the face of privatisation, the miners of Tower Colliery stood firm, and for 13 years, showed the world that workers could run their own workplace.

[Holden Caulfield]

the miners were a shining example of how the workers would not just roll over and take being opressed by Maggie anymore,

a lot of my older relatives were miners, and a lot of people were left unemployed by that ***** and her exploitative policies,

well done to these men for keeping the fight up,

[redarmyfaction38]

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/25/miners-march-to-mark-tower-colliery-closure-91466-20395215/

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/01/19/looking-back-at-tower-s-history-91466-20368970/

It is a sad day today as the workers run Tower Colliery mine, in south Wales, closed today because they have finally exhausted all coal thats left to mine.

Tower Colliery was facing closure during the 80's and early 90's, but in 1995 the workers of Tower Colliery made history by buying the mine out from its owners and running it as a Workers Cooperative, where all the workers owned an equal share of their workplace.

As the only wholly employee-owned mine in the world, pit owners from Cuba to Azerbaijan flocked to Wales to see how it worked.

I would just like to say well done to all the miners who took on the establishment and won, you have made history by being the first successful Workers Cooperative in Wales and your struggle will not be forgotten.

Whilst others retreated in the face of privatisation, the miners of Tower Colliery stood firm, and for 13 years, showed the world that workers could run their own workplace.

couldn't agree more, the tower colliery was just that, a tower of truth in the face of lies and a criminal economic policy persued, not in the interest of the british people, but in the interests of a tory govt. hell bent on destroying union organisation in order to benefit the international capitalist ruling class.

[RedAnarchist]

These miners were a great inspiration to many. They proved that we need no bosses, but need just a community working together for mutual benefit rather than the greedy profits of one individual. They should be very proud of themselves, and I hope that whatever replaces the mine will operate in a similar fashion if that is possible.

[redarmyfaction38]

These miners were a great inspiration to many. They proved that we need no bosses, but need just a community working together for mutual benefit rather than the greedy profits of one individual. They should be very proud of themselves, and I hope that whatever replaces the mine will operate in a similar fashion if that is possible.
probably not.
but, i think, those comrades deserve any "profit" they can make out of the sale of the site, most of them are past middle aged and approaching retirement. i wish them a retirement we all should enjoy.
eyes on the prize comrades.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Don't worry, the mines will re-open as soon as it become cheaper to pull out of the ground than oil. >_>

[spartan]

A good aspect to the closure of Tower Colliery is that it didnt close due to competition from the Capitalists, but from no coal being left to mine.

Indeed Tower Colliery was doing so well financially that they funded many projects, such as horse riding for disabled people and putting money into local football and rugby teams, and the average pay for a Tower Colliery miner was higher than any other in the local area.

I think that the head of Tower Colliery, Tyrone O'Sullivan, put it right when he said:


“Who would have believed at any time in the last 200, 150 or even 50 years, that when it came to the last coal mine in Wales that it would be owned by the miners themselves?”

[redarmyfaction38]

A good aspect to the closure of Tower Colliery is that it didnt close due to competition from the Capitalists, but from no coal being left to mine.

Indeed Tower Colliery was doing so well financially that they funded many projects, such as horse riding for disabled people and putting money into local football and rugby teams, and the average pay for a Tower Colliery miner was higher than any other in the local area.

I think that the head of Tower Colliery, Tyrone O'Sullivan, put it right when he said:
it is a shining example of everything we have learnt.
capitalist economics and values distort and corrupt every economic and social action; when people are brave enough to defy those values imposed upon us by our capitalist "masters", the truth shines through.