RESIST OPPRESSION

UMWA support “critical” to worker-friendly candidate victories across America, results show

2006-11-09T15:34:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 9, 2006

CONTACT: Phil Smith 703-208-7241

The support and votes of members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and their families proved to be critical in securing victories for worker-friendly candidates in states and localities across America, UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said today.

“In Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Colorado and the Navajo Nation, UMWA members and their families made the difference,” Roberts said. “They knocked on doors, made phone calls, put up signs and most importantly turned out to vote for candidates who are on our side.”

“Our UMWA phone bank made over 20,000 calls to working families in southwest Virginia, leading to a near-record coalfield turnout for Jim Webb,” Roberts said. Webb carried Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell counties and the city of Norton in Virginia’s coal-mining region by a cumulative 1,633 votes. “Those votes were critical to his margin of victory in the Virginia U.S. Senate race,” Roberts said.

Bob Casey, Jr.’s big win in Pennsylvania and Sherrod Brown’s victory in Ohio also benefitted from UMWA families’ support and votes. Casey’s margin of victory in the coal counties of Cambria, Green and Fayette outpaced his overall victory margin, while Brown’s margin of victory in the Ohio coal counties of Belmont, Jefferson and Monroe was larger than his statewide
margin.

Roberts noted that the UMWA put over 90 staff and members on the ground throughout the nation as part of the AFL-CIO’s Labor 2006 effort the last weeks before the election to help with voter turnout, including staffing phone banks, leafleting, and going door-to-door talking to voters.

“A quick look at the map of counties that switched from Republican to Democratic support in the U.S. House races shows that areas with high concentration of UMWA members and retirees played a crucial role in determining the outcome of several Congressional races across the nation,” Roberts said, pointing to counties in southern Indiana, southwestern and central Pennsylvania and upstate New York

Two victories by Democrats Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill in southern Indiana were fueled by UMWA efforts, Roberts said, as was the election of Mike Arcuri in upstate New York. “These areas have high concentrations of UMWA members and retirees who worked hard in their campaigns and then turned out in droves to vote for these UMWA-endorsed candidates.”

“I’m also especially proud of UMWA families’ support of Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.),” Roberts said. “His margins of victory in the coal counties throughout the state–south and north–were of landslide proportions. UMWA members and their families know Sen. Byrd is their strongest advocate in the U.S. Senate, and they demonstrated their love and support for him loud and clear.”

Byrd captured 84% of the vote in Mingo County, 83% in McDowell County, 81% in Logan County, 80% in Boone County, 74% in Fayette County and 72% in Marion County–all areas with many thousands of UMWA members and retirees.

Roberts also said that the defeat of Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship’s campaign in West Virginia to grab control of the West Virginia House of Delegates was due in large measure to the UMWA’s active campaign against Blankenship.

“Our members were out in force throughout West Virginia in the weeks leading up to Election Day, working to set the record straight about the half-truths and outright lies that Blankenship was running in ads,” Roberts said. “West Virginia voters didn’t buy into Blankenship’s campaign of fear, and that’s largely due to coal miners and their families telling the truth about him
and his campaign.”

The re-election of Dr. Joe Shirley as the President of the Navajo Nation was cited by Roberts as another instance of UMWA support helping to carry the day. Shirley won by just over 4,000 votes, while the UMWA represents nearly 4,000 Navajo workers. “We’re looking forward to continuing to work with President Shirley in his efforts to bring a greater measure of prosperity to his people,” Roberts said.

# # #

NLRB Files Complaint in Massey Dispute

2006-08-22T13:26:00.000-04:00

In a rare case of the National Labor Relations Board actually doing something beneficial for workers....

NLRB Files Complaint in Massey Dispute

Massey's refusal to rehire union miners who worked at the mines at the time of the Horizon Natural Resources bankruptcy (8/31/2004) seems to be getting ol' Dirty Donnie Blankenship (Massey CEO) in hot water.

Once again this is a testament to the United Mine Workers of America union for not backing down in this fight and hopefully in the near future these miners will have their jobs back that they rightfully deserve.

In other UMWA news the fight continues at Justice At Peabody.

Defective mine air packs

2006-07-12T10:47:00.000-04:00

Source: Louisville Courier-Journal

The news that 119 self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs), the kind used by coal miners throughout America, have been found to be defective in ongoing inspections by the state of Kentucky lends credence to the reports of survivors of recent coal mine tragedies in Kentucky and West Virginia that these units are not working as they should. (MORE >>>)

UMWA Ready for Fight

2006-06-22T11:28:00.000-04:00

Source: WV Metro News

The rank and file of the United Mine Workers Union will be out in full force Thursday to let Peabody Energy know they won't be intimidated.

The union claims employees who work for Peabody around the country say they've been intimidated while trying to join the UMWA. Union spokesman Phil Smith says, "We've been contacted from Peabody employees from all over the country about wanting to form a union and wanting to do so without fear of intimidation or threats. We want to make sure that message carries loud and clear to Peabody.

" That's why the union is holding a rally called "The Fight Starts Now" Thursday afternoon in the Boone County town of Wharton. They're expecting anywhere from 1,500-2,000 people to attend. Miners are busing in for the event from all over the state. But they'll also get support from members of the union from surrounding states.

Peabody owns two mines in the Wharton area, one is unionized, and the other is not but UMWA says workers there want union representation. Smith says at first it was a contentious issue in the community, but people are starting to change their minds. "We've been getting a lot more support over the last several months. Many more people are signing our petitions, signing our cards and welcoming us into their homes. And they're asking us to come."

On the list of speakers for Thursday’s event include UMWA President Cecil Roberts, the president of the West Virginia AFL-CIO Kenny Perdue and former state AFL-CIO head Jim Bowen.

Peabody is the world's largest coal company. In 2005, the company unearthed 240 million tons of coal and sold it for $4.6 billion.

City and County governments continue to back Peabody miners right to organize

2006-06-07T10:38:00.000-04:00

Source: Justice at Peabody

Booneville City Council backs union campaign at Peabody (06/07/2006 09:23)
Boonville City Council backs Peabody Energy miners' right to form a unionBoonville, IN – The Boonville City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the area’s non-union Peabody Energy coal miners’ right to organize a union. The resolution passed by a unanimous vote of 4-0 on June 1.“I am strong supporter of the resolution. I came from a family of coalminers and a life long member of the IBEW and the Steelworkers Local 104,” said city council member Bob Canada. (MORE >>>)

Evansville Courier & Press: Boonville City Council backs union campaign at Peabody
By MARK WILSON

The Boonville City Council is officially supporting a union campaign to persuade coal industry giant Peabody Energy not to interfere with attempts of its employees to form a union.The United Mine Workers and the AFL-CIO joined forces to mount the campaign in 2004 in response to what they have termed as a groundswell of support from workers wanting better benefits and working conditions as the corporation continues to grow. (MORE >>>)

Nortonville City Council backs Peabody Energy miners' right to form a union (06/06/2006 12:31)
Nortonville City Council backs Peabody Energy miners' right to form a union Nortonville, KY - The Nortonville City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the area’s non-union Peabody Energy coal miners’ right to organize a union. The resolution passed by a vote of 5-0 on June 5.

“This resolution simply states that if Peabody Energy wants to mine coal in our community they must respect workers’ rights,” said Nortonville Mayor James Noel. “We expect every company that does business in our community to be a good corporate citizen.”

The resolution states that Peabody Energy Corp., the world’s largest private sector coal company, should allow its employees to choose freely whether to unionize. The resolution requests that Peabody remain neutral and not resort to the use of pressure tactics, such as mandatory meetings on unionization, threats to close the mine, or any other form of interference or intimidation. The resolution also requests that Peabody agree to an expedited and fair process by which the employees can make a decision about unionization.A copy of the passed resolution will be sent to Peabody Energy’s CEO Greg Boyce.

Danville, Illinois Township Board of Trustees passes town resolution supporting the area’s Peabody non-union coal miners’ right to organize

Visit http://www.justiceatpeabody.org/for more information.

Peabody Miners Fighting for a Union

2006-06-01T16:20:00.000-04:00

Source: AFL-CIO Now Blog

Tired of being forced to work overtime every week and getting precious little in return, nonunion coal miners who work for Peabody Energy, the world’s largest coal company, have joined together with the AFL-CIO, the Mine Workers, community religious leaders and miners in Australia to say, “Enough! We want a union.”

Peabody has systematically closed its union mines and replaced production with nonunion mines over the past 15 years, says Bob Gaydos, UMWA’s assistant organizing director. Today, only 40 percent of Peabody’s miners worldwide are union members, he says, down from about 70 percent in the 1990s.

For the past couple of years, the UMWA has responded to the requests of hundreds of nonunion miners at Peabody’s facilities across the country for assistance in organizing unions. In December 2005, the workers launched the Justice at Peabody campaign. Peabody, which provides 10 percent of the nation’s electricity and 3 percent of the world’s power, employs some 8,300 miners at 33 mines in nine states. (MORE >>>)

Tell CEO Greg Boyce to allow Peabody coal miners the organize free from fear, intimidation and harassment

2006-05-26T23:45:00.000-04:00

Source: Justice At Peabody

In response to demands by its workers and the United Mine Workers of America, Peabody now acknowledges in its code of conduct, the freedom of its employees to organize and bargain collectively. But Peabody continues its 15-year anti-union campaign. Send a fax to CEO Greg Boyce telling him to allow coal miners to organize free from fear, intimidation and harassment. A copy of your fax will be sent to your congressman. (Tell me more >>>)

UMWA statement regarding Darby mine tragedy in Kentucky

2006-05-23T14:31:00.000-04:00

Source: UMWA

United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil Roberts issued the following statement:

"The hearts and prayers of every UMWA member are with the families of the five miners killed in the explosion at the Darby #1 mine in Holmes Mill, Kentucky early this morning. We are also praying for the recovery of the injured miner who is in the hospital.

"Though the Darby #1 mine is a non-union mine and its workers are not UMWA members, we stand ready to provide whatever assistance we can for the families of the lost miners and the survivor.

"This tragedy only compounds what has already been a horrific year in America's coal mines. There have now been 31 coal miners killed in the nation's mines in 2006, and we are not yet even halfway through the year.

"It is imperative that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and the state mine safety agencies redouble their inspection and enforcement activities, starting now."

UMWA President Roberts calls for “passage” of Senate mine safety legislation

2006-05-18T15:21:00.000-04:00

Source: UMWA

United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“The bi-partisan legislation passed today by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will move mine safety and health several steps forward, and I urge the entire U.S. Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible. Miners are still needlessly dying in America’s coal mines, and this legislation can help stem that awful tide.

“Several senators worked very hard to get this legislation passed in the HELP Committee, especially Senator Enzi (R-Wy.), Senator Kennedy (D-Mass.), Senator Byrd (D-W. Va.), Senator Rockefeller (D-W. Va.), Senator Isakson (R-Ga.), Senator Murray (D-Wash..) and Senator Clinton (D-N.Y.).

“I also want to thank Senator Specter (R-Pa.) for his leadership on this issue and the initiative he has taken by sponsoring his own legislation.

“These senators heard the voices of the families of those so tragically killed this year, and followed through on their promise to act. That is a true testament to the senators’ commitment to improve coal mine safety and health, and on behalf of this nation’s coal miners, I thank them all.

“This legislation will give miners a fighting chance to survive incidents like what happened at the Sago mine and the Aracoma Alma mine earlier this year. It mandates increased storage of life-saving oxygen units in underground mines in areas where miners can get to those caches as they make their way out of a mine. It mandates flame-resistant lifelines so that miners can find their way out when visibility is impaired.

“The bill will also move us several steps forward in implementing improvements in communications with miners trapped underground and tracking their whereabouts, and it starts us down the path to improving both the number of and response time of trained, experienced mine rescue teams.

“Coal miners and their families need legislation improving mine safety and health, and they need it now. There have been none more eloquent and more persistent in fighting for better safety in the mines than those families who lost loved ones in the Sago and Aracoma tragedies this year. Frankly, I don’t believe we would be seeing action this soon by Congress had it not been for those brave widows and fatherless children stepping up and demanding it.

“This legislation is a good start in the direction of improved coal mine safety and I urge Congress to act swiftly to pass it. But there is still more to do before America’s coal miners will have the confidence–which every American worker should have–that they can come home safely to their families at the end of each day’s work.”

CWA Ad Campaign Promotes Cingular – the Only Unionized Wireless Company

2006-05-18T15:17:00.000-04:00

Source: CWA

The Communications Workers of America this week launched an online and radio advertising campaign urging the public to switch their wireless phone service to Cingular – the only unionized wireless company. CWA's Web ads appear on the popular blogs Salon.com, DailyKos.com, and Atrios.blogspot.com (Eschaton), as well as on Yahoo and Google. Radio spots are running on Air America stations in the Northeast.Viewers and listeners are invited to visit www.CingularSwitch.com for information about making the switch to "the company that cares about workers' rights," or to register for follow up information if they are still under contract to another carrier.CWA's message points out that customers can support a socially responsible wireless company and also get great deals on phones and service, as well as Cingular's exclusive Rollover minutes and access to the nation's largest wireless network.Some 40,000 Cingular workers are represented by CWA and work under union contracts providing regular wage increases, good benefits and a voice on the job.

Here is a link to one of the online ads:CWA Web Ad

Religious Leaders Call on Peabody Energy to Respect Workers’ Rights

2006-04-28T01:24:00.000-04:00

ST. LOUIS – Ministers from Religious Leaders for Coalfield Justice (RLCJ) presented a statement signed by over 500 religious leaders to a senior Peabody Energy executive here today, calling on the company to respect workers’ rights at its coal mines.

The signatories consist of pastors, priests, deacons, rabbis, and other religious leaders from the coalfields and across the nation, including 62 judicatory heads and 5 heads of national faith denominations.

“We support the efforts of miners who work in Peabody Energy’s non-union mines to gain dignity, respect, fairness and safety on the job by forming a union with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA),” the religious leaders said in their statement. “Coal mining is dangerous and demanding work. The workers in this industry endure peril daily to help provide for our nation’s energy needs.”

The religious leaders’ statement, entitled “A Call for Justice at Peabody Energy,” urges the nation’s largest coal company “to be truly neutral with respect to employees’ rights to form or join a union and to voluntarily recognize a union when a majority of their employees sign authorizations.” The statement mirrors the endorsement of over 43 religious and community organizations calling for corporations to allow workers to organize through card check (majority verification) neutrality agreements.

“If Peabody will embrace ethical teachings including respect for the right of workers to form unions without threats, intimidation and harassment, it will serve the long-term interests of the workers, the community and the company,” said Tena Willemsma, one of the conveners of RLCJ and Executive Director of the Commission on Religion in Appalachia.”

Workers at non-union Peabody mines and the UMWA launched the Justice at Peabody campaign on Dec. 9, 2005 to call on Peabody Energy to adopt a card check neutrality agreement so that workers could organize free from threats, intimidation and harassment.

RLCJ leaders delivered the signed statement and expressed their concerns about mine workers’ rights to senior Peabody Energy executives at the company’s corporate headquarters here today.

Religious Leaders for Coalfield Justice is a national organization of religious leaders committed to justice for coal miners and other residents of coal communities.

Support grows for Justice At Peabody campaign

2006-04-19T13:46:00.000-04:00

Source: Justice At Peabody

Mortons Gap City Council backs non-union Peabody miners right to form a union
MORTONS GAP, KY – The Mortons Gap City Council unanimously passed a town resolution supporting the area’s non-union coal miners’ right to organize who are employed by Peabody Energy, the world’s largest private sector coal company. (MORE >>>)

Kentucky county votes unanimously to support Peabody miners right to organize
UNIONTOWN, KY -- The Union County Fiscal Court approved a resolution on March 29th showing support for the non-union Peabody Energy miners right to petition their employer for United Mine Workers of America representation. (MORE >>>)

Economic Report: Union membership on the rise

2006-03-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

Union membership increased significantly over the past year.

According to The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, union membership grew by 213,000 workers, while union density remained steady at 12.5 percent.

These numbers reverse a multi-year trend where union membership dropped due to a political climate hostile to workers rights and where good union jobs disappeared.

What does this mean?

It means that working people will join a union even when faced with high levels of employer opposition.

April 28th: Workers Memorial Day

2006-03-16T11:34:00.000-05:00

Source: AFL-CIO
Decades of struggle by workers and their unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions. But the toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths remains enormous. Each year more than 56,000 workers die from job injuries and illnesses and another 6 million are injured. The unions of the AFL-CIO remember these workers on April 28, Workers Memorial Day.
(More>>>)

UMWA: Sago lightning excuse is premature and reckless

2006-03-16T11:27:00.000-05:00

By Doug Cunningham
Workers Independent News

The United Mine Workers of America says an attempt by the Sago mine owners to blame lightning for the explosion that led to the deaths of 12 West Virginia coal miners is reckless and premature. UMWA's Phil Smith says this is NOT an official finding.

[Phil Smith 1] : "It is important to note that this is ICG investigating itself. These folks have a vested interest in pointing the finger somewhere else besides what their own actions may have done to cause this explosion. You know, if it was lightning then that's an act of God. And you can't sue God."

The UMWA has been involved in the investigation into the Sago tragedy, making sure workers have a voice in the probe. Smith says the UMWA will also be involved in the next phase - public hearings.

[Smith 2] : "What is important here is that we find out what caused this explosion so it doesn't happen again at Sago or anywhere else. And also what we hope comes out of this is a series of recommendations for what can be done to prevent in the first place explosions like this from happening. And in the second place prevent what was really tragic about this, which was those miners being trapped in there - or believing that they were trapped in there - and being able to come out, not being able to survive except for Mr. McCloy."

The Sago mine reopened Wednesday.
____________________________________________________________________________

The following is the UMWA's official press release regarding the International Coal Group's excuse:

ICG ‘s release of “findings” in Sago disaster “unprecedented, reckless andpremature,” UMWA says

The release of an internal investigation by the International Coal Group(ICG) claiming that lightning caused the explosion at the Sago mine inUpshur County, W. Va., is “unprecedented, reckless and premature,” Cecil E.Roberts, International President of the United Mine Workers of America(UMWA) said today.

“This action does a disservice to the families of those who were killed at Sago,” Roberts said.

“ICG even acknowledges that it doesn’t know how anelectrical charge could have traveled from the surface to the mine andignited the explosion. To publicize their unfounded conclusion now, wellbefore the official investigation by federal and state experts is finished,is extremely reckless.”

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the State of West Virginia are continuing their investigation at the mine and havepublicly said they have reached no conclusions about the cause of the explosion. “Material was removed from the mine just a few weeks ago so thatit could be examined to see if there was evidence of a lightning strike,”Roberts said. “That examination has not been concluded yet. Other aspects ofthis investigation have not even begun, including the public hearings. ICG has drawn a lot of conclusions on its own without regard to the judgement ofthe experienced, impartial experts who are charged with finding out thecauses of this tragedy.”

The UMWA’s safety experts can not recall a company issuing its own reportprior to the release of an official report from federal and/or state investigators. “Responsible coal companies recognize the primacy of MSHA andstate agencies in accident investigations,” Roberts said.

“There is a reason companies aren’t allowed to investigate themselves in these kinds ofinstances, which is that they’ll do or say anything to limit their liability and point the blame somewhere else.

“I believe it’s fair to ask why ICG is leaping to this conclusion andpublicizing its version now,” Roberts said. “ICG is essentially saying this was an act of God, and we all know you can’t sue God. One can make a casethat this announcement is more about future litigation defense purposes thatit is about actually shining a light of truth on what really happened."

“There are still many more unanswered questions here,” Roberts said. “The responsible thing for all parties to do is to assist the official investigation through to its completion, and not leap to unfounded conclusions before all the facts are in. The families of the Sago victims deserve no less.”

Victory for working families in Kentucky

2006-03-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

Working families of the Commonwealth of Kentucky win a major victory on March 7, as the House Labor and Industry Committee voted to kill the Right to Work for Less and Prevailing Wage Bills.

For more photos from March 7, Click Here!

Source: Kentucky AFL-CIO

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan supports Peabody Energy coal miners’ right to organize

2006-02-28T13:11:00.000-05:00

Source: Justice At Peabody

ST. LOUIS-- U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) today pledged his support for coal miners employed at Peabody Energy Corp. who are trying to form a union, and urged the company to remain neutral in the miners’ struggle for unionization. Peabody is headquartered in St. Louis near Carnahan’s congressional district.

"I support the rights of all Americans to organize in their workplaces,” said Carnahan. “Today I stand with coal miners from Peabody Energy and encourage them in their efforts to organize with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and I urge Peabody Energy to remain neutral when it comes to its employees' choice to form a union.”

Hundreds of non-union miners at Peabody Energy’s facilities across the country have requested assistance from the UMWA to organize a union. In December, the UMWA responded by launching the Justice at Peabody campaign.

Rep. Carnahan’s statement echoed his speech to a crowd of well over 1,200 Peabody Energy workers and community leaders at the UMWA’s December organizing campaign kick-off in front of the company’s headquarters in St. Louis.

“Provisions in the U.S. labor laws to prevent employer pressure on employees who seek to organize unions are either too weak or non-existent,” Carnahan said. “I have consistently advocated in Congress for legislation, like the Employee Free Choice Act, that ensures that American workers receive the rights and protections that they deserve.”

Carnahan is a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act and is a strong advocate of a workers’ right to form a union free from employer threats, harassment and intimidation. The Employee Free Choice Act requires employer neutrality during organizing campaigns and union recognition upon a majority of employees signing cards stating their desire to be part of a union. The pending legislation, which also establishes stronger penalties for violation of employee rights, has gained bipartisan support with 208 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives and the 42 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate.

“We warmly welcome Congressman Carnahan’s support for these miners’ right to join a union of their choice,” said UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts. “In such a dangerous industry, miners need to be empowered to have a voice in their workplace.”

Statement from Congressman Russ Carnahan:

"I support the rights of all Americans to organize in their work places. Today I stand with coal miners from Peabody Energy and encourage them in their efforts to organize with the United Mine Workers of America. I urge Peabody Energy to remain neutral when it comes to its employees' choice to form a union.

Many of America's most successful companies have concluded that a non-adversarial relationship with unions is mutually beneficial.Provisions in the U.S. labor laws to prevent employer pressure on employees who seek to organize unions are either too weak or non-existent. I have consistently advocated in Congress for legislation, like the Employee Free Choice Act, that ensures that American workers receive the rights and protections that they deserve. The Employee Free Choice Act requires employer neutrality during organizing campaigns and union recognition upon a majority of employees signing cards stating their desire to be part of a union.

It is just good business when companies protect the basic human and labor rights of their workers and respect their right to organize a union."

Massey Energy's insult to Kentucky workers is outrageous

2006-02-20T15:05:00.000-05:00

Source: UMWA

Massey insult to Kentucky workers outrageous, UMWA President Roberts says
Proposal to hire non-English speaking workers a scam to lower wages, benefits for all Massey miners

A proposal by a Massey Energy subsidiary to hire non-English speaking workers from Mexico to fully staff a mine in Eastern Kentucky because the company says there is a lowered work ethic and rampant drug abuse among workers in the region is simply outrageous, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) President Cecil Roberts said today.

This is the equivalent of an obscene gesture from Massey to every working man and woman in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia, Roberts said. It says a lot about what Massey thinks about the people who live and work there.

Noting that over 12,000 people have received training and been issued mining certificates from the state of Kentucky over the last two years, Roberts said, There are thousands of people in Kentucky and Southern West Virginia who are eager to go to work in the coal mines. All they're asking for is a decent job, with fair treatment and safe working conditions. If Massey is having trouble hiring qualified miners, perhaps the company needs to look at how it treats its workers and what the safety conditions are in its mines.

The truth is that this isn't about the work ethic or the sobriety of workers in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia, Roberts said. This is really the first step in a scam by coal operators like Massey which are trying to find ways to slash wages and benefits for all miners, whether they're American citizens or immigrants. If Massey is able to get away with doing this, they'll be able to push down wages and benefits for every miner they employ in every non-union mine they operate by threatening to replace them with immigrants if the current miners don't go along.

The UMWA does not oppose Latino workers in America's coal mines. We're fighting right now for Mexican immigrants in Utah who are struggling to form a union at their mine after being exploited for years,Roberts said. Over 40 Mexican immigrants at C.W. Mining's Co-Op mine in Huntington, Ut. have been trying to organize with the UMWA for over two years, and are awaiting a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board upholding their December, 2004 representation election.

C. W Mining was paying these workers under $8.00 per hour, with no benefits, Roberts said. Working conditions in the Co-Op mine were terrible, and the workers were subjected to intimidation and harassment if they spoke up. The company used their immigrant status as a weapon against them, and tried to exploit these immigrants lack of knowledge about their rights under American law to keep them under the company's thumb.

Now Massey comes along and is trying to set up the same scenario in Eastern Kentucky, Roberts said. We've seen this before. Our Union was founded by immigrants who were brought to this country by the coal barons of the late 19th Century. They couldn't speak to each other. The companies exploited them, playing one group off the other and keeping each suspicious of the other. They courageously overcame all that to form the UMWA in 1890.

We welcome diversity in our Union, because we know it makes us stronger,Roberts said. And we will fight against exploitation of miners wherever it occurs and to whomever it occurs.

UNION OFFICIAL SAYS MINER SHORTAGE A “FARCE”
(Combined news reports)

COAL RUN, KY - - - A United Mine Workers of America union official said talk of a shortage of coal miners in Kentucky is “the biggest farce out there right now,” and a movement to bring Mexican miners to the Appalachian coalfields is seen as an effort to reduce mining costs through lower wages.

United Mine Workers union organizer Tim Miller said a miners' shortage is nonsense.

In the past two years, the state of Kentucky has issued nearly 13,000 "green cards" - inexperienced miner's work permits. During a recent week, Kentucky labor officials counted 7,187 people actively seeking coal mining work, 5,390 of whom claimed prior mining experience.

Miller, one of the state mining board's seven members, said there are 1,400 laid-off union miners in western Kentucky who could go to work today. He echoed the sentiments of many who believe the industry is simply hoping to exploit Hispanics and drive down wages.

"They want people who don't have the ability to protect themselves," Miller said.

"If they can flood the market with Hispanic workers, if they can get away with paying a guy $8 an hour, the next guy will be willing to work for $7."

Miller's comments were in response to Sidney Coal Co. President Charlie Bearse's plea to the state mining board to allow non-English speaking miners to obtain “green cards” and work in Kentucky's mining industry.

In a letter to the board, Bearse said, “"It is common knowledge that the work ethic of the Eastern Kentucky worker has declined from where it once was," Bearse wrote to the state mining board. Bad attitudes and drug abuse, he argued, were affecting attendance "and, ultimately, productivity."

Bearse said more than a third of his 800 employees have been hired in the past year. Sidney, a subsidiary of No. 4 U.S. coal producer Massey Energy of Richmond, Virginia, has recruited miners from out West and advertised as far away as Charlotte, N.C., but still can't fill its rosters.

So Bearse turned to Hispanic workers already on his payroll and asked if they had a dozen or so relatives or friends who might consider taking part in a "pilot program." He emphasized they would get the same wages and benefits as the company's other miners.

Bearse's request has been tabled by the board for the moment.

Dept. of Labor Cuts Budget, Urges Flexibility

2006-02-16T10:41:00.000-05:00

Source: Press Associates, Inc. (PAI)

WASHINGTON (PAI) — GOP President George W. Bush’s proposed Labor Department budget for the year starting Oct. 1 again pushes worker training “flexibility,” an idea that previously sank from sight even in the GOP-run Congress. In her Feb. 6 press conference on her agency’s proposed $54 billion spending plan, Chao highlighted what she said was an increase in DOL’s budget, and said it would go to improve workforce competitiveness.

But the budget proposals she released include a $3.2 billion increase in mandatory programs, such as unemployment benefits and black lung payments. Funding for job training, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other “discretionary” programs dropped by $400 million.

The centerpiece of DOL’s spending plan, and an idea Bush touted in his State of the Union address the week before, was workforce retraining. “We must prepare workers to compete in the 21st century economy,” Chao said.

To do that, Bush and Chao propose combining four worker training programs into one “funding stream,” and use it to pay for Bush’s “Career Advancement Accounts.” She said the $3.4 billion program would let 800,000 workers nationwide get grants of $3,000 each to retrain themselves in any way they choose in new skills for new jobs.

The states would run the accounts “and that gives governors greater flexibility to create programs” tailored to their workers, Chao added. Bush proposed the same idea last year. Congress rejected it. The AFL-CIO didn’t like it then — and doesn’t like it now.Bush’s budget has “reprehensible” cuts in programs for workers, AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney said. Its cuts in job training, Trade Adjustment Assistance for workers who lose jobs to subsidized imports, and lack of new funds for job safety and health and mine safety and health are “one more indication of the indifference of the Bush administration to the real needs of working families,” he added in a statement.

Chao also touted DOL’s immediate response — $274 million in grants and aid in the first weeks — to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation last August. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Feb. 2 that the January jobless rate among the half of all Katrina-hit workers who have not returned home is 26.3 percent.

Chao answered a question about how the budget would help them by saying: “A lot of the population…left in the aftermath and they were able to access assistance programs regardless of where they were. Many have found permanent jobs elsewhere and other opportunities.”

ICG Circumventing the Law with Sago Petition

2006-01-23T15:48:00.000-05:00

Source: UMWA

The news that the International Coal Group (ICG) is signing up employees at the Sago mine in Upshur County, West Virginia to a company-sponsored petition “only compounds the tragedy at that mine,” United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts said today.

“It is our understanding that this petition was an initiative of ICG management,” Roberts said.

“This is yet another frantic attempt by ICG to circumvent the law in this matter and we call on the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the West Virginia Office and Mine Health, Safety and Training to investigate this action by ICG management.

“It is simply astonishing that ICG would go to such lengths to impede the investigation into what happened at Sago,” Roberts said. “I ask again: What are they afraid of?

“The only thing that we are focused on is finding out what happened to cause the explosion at Sago so that such an event never happens again–at Sago or at any other mine,” Roberts said. “That’s what the UMWA wants, that’s what MSHA wants, that’s what the state wants and that’s what the American people want.

“Despite this, ICG management has placed roadblocks at every turn in the path of this critical investigation in ways that do not comply with the laws and regulations of the United States,” Roberts said.

“The fact remains that several miners at Sago have requested–and continue to request–UMWA representation in the investigation of this tragedy,” Roberts said. “That is their right under MSHA regulations, and both MSHA and the state have formally recognized the UMWA as the representative of the Sago miners in this investigation.

“We will not abandon them, nor will we abandon the families of the miners who died there,” Roberts said. “It is unconscionable for ICG to compound their suffering by continuing its attempts to muddy the waters of this investigation.”

UMWA Statement on Aracoma Alma #1 Tragedy

2006-01-23T15:45:00.000-05:00

Source: UMWA

“Our hearts and our prayers are with the families, friends and neighbors of Don Bragg and Ellery Hatfield, brave coal miners who lost their lives in the fire at the Aracoma Alma #1 mine in Logan County, West Virginia. We stand ready to offer any assistance to them and their communities we possibly can.

“In the wake of this tragedy and the explosion at the Sago mine in Upshur County nearly three weeks ago, we strongly support the calls of our political leaders for immediate action to improve the chances of miners surviving situations like these. It is incumbent upon Congress and the state legislatures to take whatever steps they need to take to make sure our federal and state mine safety agencies strictly enforce existing safety rules and regulations in our nation’s mines. We must also develop new initiatives that will give every miner a vastly improved chance to walk out of a mine after an accident, alive and well and safe in the arms of their loved ones.

“Just as we have done for 116 years, the UMWA will continue to be in the forefront of this fight. We cannot let the sacrifices of these miners and their families to be in vain.”

UMWA offers "any assistance we can give" in response to Aracoma Alma Mine #1 fire

2006-01-20T10:16:00.000-05:00

Source: UMWA

United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

"Once again, coal miners' families in West Virginia anxiously await word about their loved ones trapped underground. Our hearts and our prayers are with them as the mine rescue teams work to reach the miners who are unaccounted for at the Aracoma Alma Mine #1 in Logan County.

"The Aracoma Alma Mine #1 is under the control of Massey Energy and, like the Sago mine in Upshur County, is a non-union mine. But it does not matter whether they are members of the UMWA or not-these are brother coal miners trapped underground.

"The UMWA stands ready to respond in any way we possibly can. Upon hearing about this fire early this morning, I immediately dispatched a representative of the UMWA to the scene to assist in any way that is appropriate.

"Let us all pray that these miners are found, safe and sound, as soon as possible. We also pray that the mine rescue teams who are working to find them remain safe as they risk their lives to perform this rescue operation."

Sago miners have the right to ask for UMWA representation in investigation

2006-01-18T17:05:00.000-05:00

Source: UMWA

United Mine Workers of America President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

"The International Coal Group (ICG) has objected to the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) representing the miners at the Sago mine as theinvestigation into the causes of this tragedy gets underway. What theirstatements fail to point out is that miners at the Sago mine have a right todesignate the UMWA as their representative, and the union has a right toparticipate in the investigation under federal law."

Federal regulations developed to implement the Mine Safety and Health Actpermit the UMWA to represent the miners at any mine if two or more of themdesignate us to represent them on safety issues. That has happened in thiscase. We are not 'manipulating' anything–we are fulfilling ourresponsibility under the MSHA regulations and we will continue to do so tothe best of our ability.

"ICG may not like the law, and they may not like the fact that their employees have designated the UMWA as their representative in thisinvestigation. But that does not change the fact that the law is what it is.Just because ICG doesn't like the law doesn't give them license to trample it."

The fact is that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)recognizes our right to be party to the investigation, as does the state ofWest Virginia, and they have both said so in writing. They do not view ourparticipation as interference in the investigation. The only party who does is ICG, leading one to ask: Why? What do they fear?

"It's interesting to note that the very first thing ICG did this morning aspart of the interview process that is taking place in Clarksburg was toattempt to get the identities of the miners who designated the UMWA as theirrepresentative. MSHA did not release their identities, nor will we. But thebigger questions are: Why do they need to know that, and what would they do with that information if they did know it?"It seems to us that ICG's priorities have shifted from seeking to determine the true cause of this accident and means for preventing similar occurrences,' to trying to find out which of their employees had the courage to want representation from an independent organization with 116 yearsexperience of working to improve safety and health in all of America'smines, whether we represent the workers or not.

"This investigation is about finding out the truth. If the company hasnothing to hide, it should favor an open investigation with all partiesparticipating fully."

UMWA PRESIDENT HAILS STATE, CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS INTO SAGO DISASTER

2006-01-11T13:09:00.000-05:00

Source: UMWA

United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E.Roberts said today that West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin’s announcementyesterday of a state investigation into the Sago disaster “is a first stepin the right direction of improving coal mine safety in the wake of thisterrible disaster.”

Roberts applauded Gov. Manchin’s selection of Davitt McAteer to head theWest Virginia investigation, saying, “Mr. McAteer has the experience toundertake this critical investigation, and the UMWA believes he has thedetermination to pursue this investigation wherever it may lead. That’sexactly what is needed here.”

The state investigation will be held in conjunction with the U.S. MineSafety and Health Administration (MSHA). MSHA and Gov. Manchin announcedyesterday that the investigation will include a public hearing, which is ararity in coal mine accident investigations.

“The public hearing can be a beneficial part of this investigation,” Roberts miners to know as a result of this investigation is that mine safety andhealth regulations will be strictly enforced at every mine in the UnitedStates. MSHA and the state mine safety agencies must view these regulationsas requirements for companies to follow, not mere suggestions.”

Roberts also said that the announcement by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W. Va.)that a U. S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee will hold a hearing nextweek on the disaster “will help us all understand what happened at thismine, so that we can do whatever needs to be done to ensure that no familywill ever again have to go through what the families of the Sago miners hadto endure.“

Sen. Byrd, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the chair of the subcommittee andSen. Tom Harkin (D-Ia.), the ranking member, all have a long-term commitmentto coal miners and their health and safety,” Roberts said. “I haveconfidence that with them taking the lead, we will get answers and we willbegin the process of working towards real, enforceable solutions.”

Roberts added that it is critical for the UMWA to be an integral part ofboth the state and congressional inquiries. “We have the expertise andexperience within our union to make a significant contribution to theinvestigation and the recommendations that come out of this. Our Director ofOccupational Health and Safety, Dennis O’Dell, has years of experience withmine safety issues and was on-site at the Sago mine during the rescueefforts while our UMWA mine rescue teams were involved. There is no onebetter qualified to be a strong voice for the safety of miners during thisinvestigation than Dennis.”

Stop Anti-Worker Bill in Kentucky

2006-01-11T13:07:00.000-05:00

Anti-worker legislators in the Kentucky House of Representatives are trying to pass a bill—H.B. 38—that would hurt working families by cutting our paychecks and benefits.

They will succeed if we don't take action now to stop them. Please send an urgent message to your state representatives and tell them to oppose H.B. 38.Tell me more