Career Tyrone O'Sullivan

1 career

1.1 1984 strike
1.2 goitre tower anthracite ltd
1.3 politics

career

o sullivan became branch secretary of num branch of tower colliery in 1973. num activist, became flying picket, moving around wales @ behest of arthur scargill, in 1973 , 1974 strikes oust prime minister edward heath s conservative government.

1984 strike

when national coal board boss ian macgregor announced plans close 20 pits , away 25,000 jobs in 1984, planned closure of cortonwood provoked movement of yorkshire miners appealed other coalfields support. in light of lack of support yorkshire regards closures in south wales, south wales branch region voted 3:1 against strike.

o sullivan explained members @ tower probable result of not fighting closures, , gained 99% support:

o’sullivan led flying pickets, highly mobile type of picketing, tower on following week every pit in south wales region, result of pits had met , agreed support 1984/5 national miners strike. o sullivan later led group of miners leaders against national ballot during strike, have needed include nottinghamshire branch, have voted against - leadership later formed breakaway union of democratic mineworkers.

he disclosed on closure of tower colliery , family knew @ time of strike private home telephone had been bugged mi5. throughout strike, o’sullivan led groups of tower miners around country, drumming support strike — o sullivan later joking during strike spent more time in various bedrooms around country glynn roberts (later head of human resources @ tower colliery), wife. these actions included group went village of wivenhoe, group of tower miners went stop overseas import coal coming harbour. o’sullivan acknowledged changed role of women during strike:

a taxi driver david wilkie killed when car hit concrete block dropped on bridge, , 3 miners within o sullivan s area implicated.

goitre tower anthracite ltd

in october 1992, conservative government part of privatisation program of british coal, announced closure of 31 of britain s 50 working mines. after public outcry, government reviewed status of 21 of them, 12 temporarily reprieved, including tower. however, in 1994, after closure ordered michael heseltine of conservative government of john major, tower miners decided mount publicity campaign. didn t work, , on 23 april 1994 british coal announced closure of tower. after mine closed, miners retreated club in penywaun , agreed o’sullivan s suggestion buyout of mine. deal secured when 239 miners each paid £8,000 redundancy payouts buy shares in goitre tower anthracite ltd, vehicle borrowed additional £2million buy pit british coal. pit reopened on 2 january 1995, after miners led triumphant march colliery. o’sullivan had been appointed personnel director of new company. famed 1994 quote later became line in locally produced opera welsh composer alun hoddinott:

o sullivan nearer truth in quote other reason buying pit, local unemployment 30% in aberdare, , have risen 40% had tower , 400 employees joined dole queue.

politics

o sullivan has been labour party member since 16. in july 2016, endorsed jeremy corbyn s campaign in labour party leadership election. said of corbyn: s 1 of honest, intelligent men think ve ever met. wants s best people... s genuine socialist. o sullivan first met corbyn during miners strike , remembers incredible support corbyn , local campaigners. @ end of strike, miners gave mr corbyn medallion in recognition of help.