JARROW MINER HELPS CARROW TO RE-ENACT LOCAL HISTORY

John Watson (19) learned his first lesson in class struggle on the picket line outside Westoe colliery in the last miners' strike. Like the legendary William Jobling, he was a rank-and-file miner.

John paid for his militancy with a few bruises from the police when they charged the picket. Jobling paid with his life-over 140 years ago when the first miners' union was built on the north-east coast near John's home townJarrow.

John is one of a dedicated group of youth and workers trying to reach back to the days of Jobling. They want to show that the early struggles of the north-east miners and what they won as rights are once more being threatened by the Tories and the employers. But to win now the workers today need more than a union.

In the evening John Watson takes part in the Pageant rehearsals at Jarrow. During the day he talks to his mates at the pit, trying to make them see what he has seen about history and its role in today's struggle. In his spare time he goes out and recruits to the Pageant and sells tickets for the big day on March 11, when the Jobling episode and the three other episodes of class struggle will be presented as one at the Empire Pool, Wembley.

The politics, the campaigning and the attempt to make history live through his own efforts and understanding are new to John. But he says it is a task that cannot be avoided.

It was when I read the script that I began to like the idea and understand what it was all about.

'At first I thought it was a laugh, but they kept on arguing with me. I thought there must be something in this if they are so persistent. Then I went to the public meeting. What was said there decided it for me. It showed that history was not just the past, but was happening once more. The Tories are taking away the things that blokes like Jobling fought for.' John's friend Lawrence Bathgate thinks Jobling is important too.

"The important thing with this part of the Pageant is that it is a true story. I admire Jobling very much. He was an ordinary miner who did not let his mates down. He didn't crawl to the bosses when they tried him. He went to his death so the union could go on.

"This is not just history because it's not that much better today. What do I have to do to live? I have had every rotten job in Jarrow, including the pits. Now I clean out the holds Is job and hinish sometimes I work all the night then go straight over to my regular day shift. What do I get? £24 a week. The alternative is the dole. Have we really come that far from Jobling?' The lessons of the Pageant campaign so far for John and Lawrence have been direct and simple.

John: "The main thing I have learned in the discussions we have had is that you can't trust your leaders. This is something I knew before as well. It is obvious when you look at men in the TUC and Labour Party who helped the Tories to go into the Common Market.

'Now we see the worst thing of all-all these leaders are prepared to see the unions be smashed up.

I see the most important thing is to fight against the Tory government. By going into the past this way we can show better what is happening today. We show, for a start, that despite all their nice friendly words, the Tories and the bosses have always wanted to get rid of the unions.

'I think people will understand this. It's happened to me. Before, when the pit went on strike, I used to say: "Ah let them get on with it". But now I have changed my mind. I think we have to stand together and fight. It's the only way. The fight is against the government.

'But how we fight is important,' says John. •All this arbitration, ballots and worksto-rule is rubbish. There is only one way - an all-out strike. The problems are so big now that it's not just enough to have one section out-like the miners. All unions are for the chop, so we should have everyone out.

'I am determined now to see this play through to the end. I think it will make the wörkers who see it rise up. They are going to say "What have we been doing all this time?" They will see the play and see what is happening now STEPHEN JOHNS reports. and what was happening then, and they will organize against William Jobling was not it. If it does this it will do good because it will be the start of the revolutionary party to get rid of the Tories for good. That's what any real significant. worker wants.' He was picked