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Fife councillor says mining union legal bill is ‘ridiculous’

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Former miners have been urged to dig deep to help pay a massive £8 million legal bill incurred during a failed compensation claim.

Around 40,000 letters have been sent out by National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Scotland warning of its potential demise unless it receives financial help.

Elderly miners who took the Westminster Government to court in a test case have also been told they may be pursued individually as the state seeks to cover its costs.

One horrified ex-miner who was involved in the bid to secure compensation for miners’ knee declared he would go to jail before paying thousands of pounds in costs.

However, Bob Young from Dunfermline has backed the union in its efforts to raise funds and has already donated £50.

The 69-year-old is one of thousands of former miners suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees as a result of crawling around in cramped conditions underground.

He was one of 900 from across the UK, including 100 from Scotland, involved in the unsuccessful test case last year. The NUM has now been hit by a huge £8m legal bill, around £850,000 of which must be paid by the Scotland area.

Mr Young is plagued by pain in his knees after working for several years in tiny seams at Comrie Colliery.

“Every miner who worked on the faceline at Comrie is affected by this,” he said.

“The doctors have put it down to arthritis but I’m in no doubt that being on your knees all day will have an effect.

“The NUM selected people who were really bad for the test case but while the Government lawyers acknowledged there was a problem, they argued the case was time-barred and mentioned the harsh economic times.”

He added: “I’ve sent my cheque away. I know everybody isn’t in the same financial position but it’s a case of paying what you can.”

Mr Young, who now represents Dunfermline Central on Fife Council, expressed doubts the Government would ever pursue individuals, but stated: “I’ll go to jail before I pay a big bill.

“The union should be asking for a breakdown of how exactly the lawyers have come up with this £8m bill. It wasn’t like they were dealing with thousands of us.

“It was just specific cases and I don’t understand how they’ve managed to rack up such a huge bill. It’s ridiculous.”

Scottish president Nicky Wilson said the costs incurred were “quite frankly staggering” but revealed an interim payment of £100,000 had already been paid to the Government.

“That payment has all but exhausted the union’s cash reserves,” he said, adding that the NUM (Scotland) was unlikely to have sufficient assets to pay its full share.

“The union’s lawyers have made those representing the Government aware of the position,” said Mr Wilson.

“An initial response makes mention of pursuing the elderly Scottish miners involved in the case individually, a suggestion that in my view is nothing short of shameful.”

Mr Wilson has now written to every former union member who has benefited from the union’s past efforts to secure compensation for chest diseases or vibration white finger.

He has also written to miners’ relatives in a bid to establish a fund to meet the debt and avoid the Government pursuing individuals.

“Without financial assistance that is a real prospect, as is the demise of the NUM (Scotland) in the face of its proud and lengthy history,” he said.

Quashing fears from some recipients that the letter was a hoax, the president made it clear no one should feel obliged to donate, given the difficult economic times, but suggested a donation of £20 from everybody would go a long way to clearing the union’s liability.