International President Cecil E. Roberts discussed the future of the coal industry and what effect he believes proposed climate change legislation and initiatives will have on the jobs outlook for coal producing regions. He also discussed energy and coal issues and how they will affect the 2020 election.
The UMWA has reached out to the Democratic presidential candidates with advice on initiatives that they say could help decarbonize US fossil fuel energy production while preserving jobs, and has invited each of the campaigns to visit a coal mine.
Additionally, President Roberts talked about pending legislation to help troubled multiemployer pension funds. Absent congressional action, the UMWA multiemployer pension fund is expected to become insolvent by 2022-23 at the latest, the first of several major pension funds to do so.
