"The industry has shrunk dramatically since the year-long miners strike in 1984-85. Since then the membership of the NUM has slumped from 208,000 to about 4,000 or so now. The number of deep mine pits in Britain has decreased from 170 to 16 of which 13 are owned by UK Coal."
It is clear that with the virtual elimination of the coal miners as part of the backbone of the British working class the character of the British working would be modified. This fact together with the defeat of the miners during the long coal strike was to have a serious affect on the working class.
