Asturian coal miners, who staged a "sit-in" demonstration in an unused gallery at the 1,000-foot level of the Llamas mine near Mieres, Spain, brought their action to a close February 24. They had stayed underground :-a full week.
The eleven used this way of protesting their dismissal a year ago for participating in labor disputes. They demanded to be rehired. They said that they would stay in the mine until they had to be taken out on stretchers.
Management closed the mine, alleging that the action of the eleven heightened the danger of an explosion from coal damp.
Some 4,000 coal miners in the region began a sympathy strike February 21. By the time the eleven came out of the mine, this had spread until more than 6,500 miners were involved.
The eleven were immediately arrested and hauled away in ambulances. The authorities said that they would be given a medical examination. Their next place of residence was presumably one of Franco's jails.