Unite Community Supports The OTJC

The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign (OTJC) is seeking truth and justice for all miners victimised by the police at Orgreave Coking Plant, South Yorkshire on 18 June 1984.

NEY&H Unite has supported OTJC since it started in November 2012. Joe Rollin has been the link between the two organisations. “I attended the first meeting. You can’t be sure things will take off but everyone who took on a job carried out the task and within weeks it was apparent the campaign was generating significant support across the region amongst trade unionists and many sections of the community.

“Unite is involved because we have links to many miners’ organisations and Women Against Pit Closures. OTJC is about social justice and is connected to the defeat of the trade union movement in the 1980s from which we still have to recover. We must learn the lessons from the past to make sure of the victories of the future.

“One of the highlights last year was the major picnic that was organised at Orgreave in June and which clearly annoyed the police as they felt it necessary to fly their helicopter over the entirely peaceful proceedings below.

“Entering 2015 we are waiting to hear from the Independent Police Complaints Commission as to whether they intend going ahead with a full investigation. OTJC wants a public inquiry and will continue to campaign for this whatever the IPCC decide.

“Many people reading this will be aware that Orgreave and the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster were both policed by South Yorkshire Police. OTJC has made strong links with the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, whose spokesperson is my Unite Community counterpart in the North West, Sheila Coleman. This has meant I have been able to do interviews from South Yorkshire about Hillsborough whilst Sheila has done interviews in her region about Orgreave.”