The Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) was a British

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

for

coal miners People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial Revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ...

based in

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...

, England, established in 1985, following the 1984–85 miners' strike, when the Nottinghamshire Area of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) was involved in a number of disputes with the National Executive Committee that led to a split from the NUM. In ballots on joining with Nottinghamshire in a new union, the South Derbyshire Area of the NUM voted in favour by 51% and the Colliery Workers and Allied Trades Association by almost 100%. The Nottinghamshire Miners' Association initially remained within the National Union of Mineworkers with elected officers including Roy Lynk and Neil Greatrex, later the General Secretary of the UDM. Officials from the UDM advised ministers on how to cut miners' power – including by weakening the

National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers The National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers (NACODS) is an organisation representing former colliery deputies and under-officials in the coal industry. History NACODS was established as a national trade union in 1910. ...

(NACODS). For many NUM supporters and

Arthur Scargill Arthur Scargill (born 11 January 1938) is a British trade unionist who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1982 to 2002. He is best known for leading the 1984–1985 UK miners' strike, a major event in the history o ...

loyalists, the UDM was and remains considered a " scab" union due their split for the NUM, return to work and cooperation with the Thatcher government. The UDM was widely criticised in 2004 after it was revealed that its top two officials received pay and benefits of over £150,000 each, despite membership having fallen to 1,431. In 2012, former president Neil Greatrex was found guilty of fraud from a miners' welfare fund.

References

{{Coord missing, Nottinghamshire Breakaway trade unions Mansfield Mining trade unions Mining in the United Kingdom Trade unions based in Nottinghamshire Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom