AT OHMUDA CITY, NEAR NAGASAKI IN JAPAN, A SHRINKING MARKET FOR COAL LED TO THE DISCHARGE OF TWO THOUSAND OF THE 15,000 WORKERS EMPLOYED AT MIIKE MINE.

THE MEN'S UNION, THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WORKERS UNION SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPS OVER THE SACKING OF THE MEN. THE FIRST GROUP, WITH 10,900 MEMBERS OPPOSED THE SACKINGS, WHILE THE SECOND WHICH HAS 4,1000 WORKERS AGREED WITH THE MINING COMPANY'S ACTION AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE WORKING.

THERE WERE FREQUENT CLASHES BETWEEN THE TWO FACTIONS, BUT THE BIG CLASH CAME WHEN MEMBERS OF THE SECOND GROUP TRIED TO GO TO WORK AT THE MINE WHICH WAS PICKETED BY MEMBERS OF THE FIRST GROUP.

MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MINERS WERE INJURED WHEN THE TWO GROUPS FOUGHT IT CUT AT THE PITHEAD.

THE ATTEMPT TO GO TO WORK BY THE SMALLER GROUP OF UNIONISTS FOLLOWED A MASS MEETING OF THE GENERAL FEDERATION OF WORKERS UNION IN THE CITY AT WHICH ATTEMPTS AT MEDIATION IN THE DISPUTE FAILED.

POLICE WERE ON HAND WHEN THE WOULD BE WORKERS ARRIVED AT THE PIT HEAD AND DID THEIR BEST TO BREAK UP THE FIGHTING WHICH BEGAN IMMEDIATELY THE TWO GROUPS MET.

POLICE REINFORCEMENTS HAD TO BE CALLED IN BEFORE THE BRAWLING COULD BE STOPPED.