IN THE 1980s there were a number of national steel workers strikes across the UK.
As South Wales is home to multiple steelwork sites, in Port Talbot and Llanwern in Newport, there were plenty of strikes happening in Gwent at this time.
Between January 2 and April 2 1980s the whole of the UK experienced a national steel strike, which was a response to the British Steel Corporation's (BSC) plans to close plants and the management's offer of a 5 per cent pay increase, compared to the unions' demand for 20 per cent.
The strike began in the nationalized sector and spread to privatized steel works. It involved around 100,000 workers and was the first major industrial conflict of the Thatcher era.
The strike highlighted the industry's problems, which included poor productivity and over-staffing. The strike also produced the Steelworkers' Banner, a journal that challenged the industry's consensus and provided an alternative strategy.
The 1980 strike was the industry's first national strike in over 50 years and the largest strike in post-war history before the miners' dispute of 1984/1985, and there were further similar strikes in the years after.
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