Durham Miners' Gala - 'Show of Union Power'

Banners, bands and crowds. Locally known as The Big Meeting, the Durham Miners’ Gala has been marching along on the second Saturday in July since 1871 and despite there being no mines today it seems certain to continue for the foreseeable future as the largest annual labour movement gathering.

Among the 100,000 participating in the 140^th gala on Saturday were many Unite members, some for the first time and others who had been drawn back again to enjoy a marvellous social occasion that can provide the inspiration for the forthcoming battles at work and politically.

The large numbers, including many families from ex-mining villages, that packed out and danced along the cobbled streets of Durham City seemed highly unlikely back in 1986, when, according to the Sunderland Echo the turnout from amongst the shrinking coalfields was ‘one of the quietest Durham Miners’ Galas on record.’  

Only 15,000 were present following the defeat of the 1984-85 miners’ strike by the Thatcher government, intent on dealing a fatal blow to the entire British trade union movement, as she ushered in the neo-liberal politics initially developed in Chile in 1973, following the crushing of the Allende socialist government there.

That had brought with it resistance among workers here. A boycott of military goods that had been ordered by President Pinochet for his ongoing reign of terror was organised by unions that later became part of Unite.

As Britain and Ireland’s biggest union, Unite played a crucial role in supporting the Durham Miners’ Association (DMA) with funds and organising support to help with getting the numbers back on to the streets of Durham.

Smiles, laughter and hope have returned against the magnificent background of the historic Durham Castle and Cathedral, the latter of which was the venue for the blessing of two new replacement banners from Langley Park and Ludworth on Saturday.

The dozens of highly colourful banners are, in themselves, worth making the trip to the North East. They tell a visual history of working class struggle and progress; they are the inheritors of our best traditions. They came blinking out of the sunlight just as unions began to gain precarious legality two centuries ago. During the 1844 Durham and Northumberland miners’ strike there were, at least 71 banners displayed.

Unite’s history dates back to, at least, 1889 and the great London Dock Strike that smashed through the then zero hours contracts of the East End dock owners and established ‘The Dockers’ Tanner.’

Huge marches were held with mass rows of marching men all carrying their trade union banners festooned with hundreds of slogans. A more basic banner, made by one of strikers’ wives, declared ‘Our husbands are on strike, For us wives it is not honey, And we think it’s right, Not to give the landlords any money.’

When London Dockers across Unite’s legacy unions marched to demand the release of their comrades from Pentonville Prison in July 1972 and ultimately dealt a crushing blow to the Tory government of Edward Heath, they did so behind a banner with the simple slogan of “Arise Ye Workers.”

This year, on the Saturday, the National Union of Mineworkers Bolton Lodge Banner proclaimed ‘Forward to socialism’ while the one from Murton Lodge, backed by 250 from the small village, declared ‘The future is in your hands.’

The banner from Sheffield Women Against Pit Closures was much simpler, listing the dates 1984-85 and 1992-93, the latter a reference to when women organised protest camps outside the remaining pits that were set for closure by the government of John Major. 

To make matters worse and similarly to today with oil and gas workers, there was no plan to replace well paid underground jobs with well-paid overground ones and mining villages were left to rot as Britain’s manufacturing base was further run down.

Hope too went out of the window and its loss has helped far right parties such as Reform establish a dangerous bridgehead among Durham’s working class communities.

The Unite contingent on the march through Durham to the Racecourse Ground next to the River Wear was led by the barnstorming tunes of the Unite Brass Band, whose dedication and many hours of practice mean their music can help unify members walking for a better future (hear them on link below). The packed streets can mean standing around for quite a while and so it is great to be able to listen to such uplifting tunes.

The large Unite North East, Yorkshire and Humberside Region (NEYH) banner was carried proudly and declared ‘The Past We Inherit The Future We Make.’ Other banners included Nissan Unite, Camell Laird Unite and Unite at Leeds City Council (LLC) where as part of national action over pay and conditions there is an ongoing strike among staff responsible for repairs and maintenance.

Among those LCC strikers present in Durham was Stephanie Crowther, the recently elected first ever female convenor (senior steward) and who originally got involved in Unite when she faced a problem with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that was ill-fitting for her job as plumber.

“Male and female bodies are different. I work in a male dominated environment and needed to change things. I started up a campaign and we now have PPE that fits both sexes. It makes me feel included and means I feel comfortable as I am wearing the right clothing.”

Stephanie, who described events on Saturday as “highly uplifting,” marched alongside Clair who has worked for LCC for 25 years and has been a Unite rep for many of them. “The union has helped me through a lot of issues.” One of these was an assault by a member of management and, as a survivor of domestic abuse herself, Clair was delighted to know that Unite has been the key backer of events in the North West that have highlighted the issue through commemorative events honouring historic victim, Ellen Strange. Stephanie took 30 copies of a new booklet to hand out to the LLC Unite reps.

Anne-Frances Hayes, who sits on the Unite Women’s and NEYH regional committee and is an Unite equality rep at Sheffield University, has been a trade union member since her youth. She has been to the gala on numerous occasions. “It is like the Holy Grail of trade unionism. But whether you are political or not it is a fantastic, safe place to be. There is also lots to do for children.”

Among the young persons present was Charlie from West Yorkshire who joined Unite when he began working behind a bar around a year ago. His working conditions are better than many similar locations but he’s also recently had “experiences of workplaces without any rights where I have witnessed all kinds of injuries. I find it comforting that trade unions still exist but I worry the membership is becoming older. There are no real movements amongst workers of my ages to join a union. I know about union history as my great grandads were miners who were Locked Out at Easington Colliery in 1926 during the General Strike.”

Unite has sought to make the current generation aware of events 100 years ago. There have been a series of public events. These have been combined with the release of a number of publications and a film under the banner of Unite for a Workers’ Economy that features general secretary Sharon Graham explaining “the working class needs to mobilise to ensure we get a bigger piece of the pie.” This was shown at the Racecourse on Saturday to tens of thousands listening to speakers that included other key labour movement figures.

Similar initiatives to those recalling 1926 are now being undertaken to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street this October.

“I am aware that even today no one tells you about these historical events when you are at school,” says former miner and construction worker, Denis Doody, aged 72, who once he left mining became very active in the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) and ended up as the union’s regional secretary in the North East. Denis retained his union membership when UCATT later became part of Unite.

 “I was lucky, I was brought up in Fitzwilliam in South Yorkshire and the history of struggle around mining was passed from generation to generation. I was part of that struggle when I was out for the 12 months throughout the 1984-85 miners’ strike. It was the right thing to do as we were fighting for our communities and the futures of young people.”

Denis recalled how Fitzwilliam was almost under occupation by the police as Margaret Thatcher sought to destroy the mining areas. “The fact we have got tens of thousands present today shows she did not succeed and the numbers present shows a spirit of resistance, for which we should remember DMA leaders Dave Hopper and Dave Guy, that can be built upon.”

It was a theme taken up by lan Griffiths, who has just retired days ago after working 39 years at Nissan, just outside Sunderland. He was a shop steward for many years in a fast-moving environment. “Working conditions are challenging, Nissan want 100 per cent effort. As a Unite rep I wanted to help people and stop them being walked over. The union also helped ensure I have a decent pension so I can enjoy retirement

“I have come to the Gala since I was a kid. It is a show of union power. I am proud to carry the banner. It is a big day for the region and the country.”

Dedicated to Joseph Charlton, aged 42, and Robert Noble, aged 45, who perished in the Easington Colliery disaster 75 years ago this year. Also in remembrance of Dave Temple who did much to keep the Gala going and who died in September 2025.

Listen to some tunes from the march and see some great pics! Here

By Mark Charlton Metcalf

Photos by Mark Harvey