Judges outlaw miners' strike plan

A series of one-day pit strikes planned by the National Union of Mineworkers was outlawed by the Court of Appeal yesterday.

The court ruled that a pro-strike ballot result from NUM members last month was past its legal "use-by date" by the time set for the first stoppage - from midnight last night.

The judges rejected the NUM's case that midnight was not only the end of yesterday but also the beginning of today, so the union could call out its members on today's shift and still be within the four-week limit.