1.
SV & CU Lord Wilberforce reading newspaper (4 shots)
0.19

2.
GV Tankers at Keadby with pickets & police
0.30

3.
GV Ditto alongside power station TILT UP TO Chimneys
0.40

4.
GV Pickets outside Thorpe Marsh power station
0.51

5.
GV Miners in picket line voting to stay out
1.05

6.
SV & SV PAN Miners' leaders arriving at Department of Employment (2 shots)
1.15

7.
SV Miners' leaders Gormley & Daly arriving followed by Vic Feather (2 shots)
1.26

8.
SV PAN Coal Board Chairman Derek Ezra arriving
1.36

9.
SV Confederation of British Industries leader arriving
1.39



Initials SGM/0124 SGM/0144


original on 2494/72 33ft

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Negotiations to end the United Kingdom's 40-day-old national coal strike were balanced on a knife edge on Friday (18 February) night despite a Government-approved report giving the miners a wage rise of up to 30 percent.

The leaders of the 280,000 striking miners, whose walkout triggered the worst power crisis in Britain for 25 years, argued for more money in bargaining following the recommendation of the Government-appointed Wilberforce tribunal. Both the Government and the National Coal Board have held fast to the proposals made in the report.

Throughout the country, picketing miners demonstrated their reactions to the news. Some held on-the-spot votes calling for their colleagues to remain on strike.

In London, Secretary for Employment Robert Carr met with mine union leaders to discuss the report and its recommendations. Latest reports indicate that mine officials, National Coal Board executives and Government Ministers have been called to Prime Minister Edward Heath's office to discuss latest developments.