The U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay of implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) on February 9, 2016. “We are pleased that the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of this misguided rule,” stated President Roberts. “While some may wonder why the Court took this unprecedented action, I would suggest they look at the harm that the EPA’s MACT standards inflicted on coal miners and their communities before it could be overturned on appeal by the Court. There needs to be some sense of reasonableness with the issuance of these Rules. The Agency seems to be throwing everything they can against the wall just to see what sticks. It has become ridiculous.”
The UMWA has been actively fighting against the CPP since it was originally proposed, including holding rallies in Pittsburgh and at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C. to protest the rule. Union leaders and rank-and-file members testified against the rule in hearings held around the country last summer.
The EPA originally proposed the CPP with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 23 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The final Rule increased the reduction levels required under CPP to 32 percent.
While the Supreme Court stay is in effect, the first round of legal action against the CPP will take place in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia this fall. The UMWA is part of a group of organizations that have sued to overturn the CPP. A decision is expected before the end of the year, which will almost certainly be appealed to the Supreme Court for a final ruling.
To read the full article, contact the Journal Department (journal@umwa.org or 703-291-2405) and subscribe to the United Mine Workers Journal.
President Roberts, along with thousands of UMWA members and supporters, begin the march from the Waynesburg Airport to the Greene County Fairgrounds for the April 1 Solidarity Rally.
April 1 has great significance for the United Mine Workers of America. It is a day that represents the Union’s triumph over countless struggles throughout its history. This year UMWA members, their families and friends fathered in Waynesburg, PA, to commemorate this important date. While there were many references to the Union’s past victories, ‘Mitchell Day’ 2016 was about putting anyone who suppresses the rights of workers on notice. The UMWA will be there to confront and defeat those who attempt to steal the benefits UMWA members have earned over a lifetime of work. And the Union will oppose anyone who tries to turn back the clock on the gains made by middle class Americans.
UMWA members assembled at the Waynesburg Airport in preparation for the Solidarity March. Thousands of UMWA members, their families and supporters drove or road buses to participate.
With more than 5,000 UMWA members, families and supporters close behind President Reberts, Secretary-Treasurer Kane, members of the International Executive Board and a host of Union Leaders and Elected Officials led over a mile-long march from the Waynesburg Airport to rally at the Greene County Fairgrounds. The event was held to demonstrate the Union’s solidarity and marks the beginning of the latest phase of the UMWA’s campaign to stop the assault on American workers and the destruction of their communities. In the past decade alone members of the UMWA have fought vigorously against the ill-conceived policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the immoral use of the Nation’s despicable bankruptcy laws by coal operators seeking to shed their responsibility to UMWA workers and retirees and the unrelenting efforts by big business and the wealthy class to roll back workers’ rights and protections. The march in Waynesburg represents an escalation in the Union’s tactics to stop these efforts and restore fairness to the system.
“In the history of the world, no one ever gave anything to working people. We have had to struggle and fight for everything we have ever achieved,” stated President Roberts. “We have earned every wage increase, pension check and health care benefit we have received. But none of the gains by working people were ever accomplished easily or by a single individual. They were achieved by the concerted and deliberate action of all workers. We all must remember that Gandhi marched, Moses marched, Dr. King marched and Jesus march to attain justice for the oppressed. Today, all those who would deny workers their rights had better take notice, the United Mine workers of America is marching.”
To read the full article, contact the Journal Department (journal@umwa.org or 703-291-2405) and subscribe to the United Mine Workers Journal.
On Friday, September 18 members of Local Union 4921 voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new 5-year collective bargaining agreement with New River Healthcare Association (New River or Association). The Contract includes additional paid time off, two floating holidays, and a $2.00-an-hour wage increase over the life of the agreement, among other gains.
“This contract represents a lot of hard work on the part of the bargaining team and all the members of Local Union 4921, stated District 17 Vice President Carter. That solidarity and teamwork is also apparent in the member’s work at New River. They are dedicated healthcare providers and an extremely important part of the communities they serve, he noted. They are truly great ambassadors for the UMWA and have been since they were first organized in 1995.”
The Association serves three counties at seven locations in southeastern West Virginia. These facilities provide medical, dental, rehabilitation, children’s health, black lung, and a host of other services to members in the surrounding communities. “New River is a fantastic healthcare system, stated Local Union President Brenda Halsey. It is a community-oriented organization, the people who work here have deep roots in the community and they care about the patients they serve like family,” She said. A lot of the new patients we see are referrals from other patients. It’s like a club and once they come in and get comfortable they stay.”
The sheer volume of activity can sometimes be challenging as Doris Connie knows all too well. “I am one of 10 communications specialists at New River,” Doris noted. We answer hundreds of telephone calls each day. Everything from scheduling appointments to taking a few minutes just to talk with the caller and hopefully make their day a little better. We are the first contact many people have with New River and it’s nice to be able to help them get to where they need to be.”
The Breathing Center at New River’s Scarbro location is the first stop for many people who receive testing for black lung and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. “Many of the people we see here for lung problems are patient referrals,” said X-ray Technician Lisa Craddock. Sometimes they just aren’t comfortable traveling to a hospital to get x-rays and testing. We offer a more convenient location and a sense of community that often eases some of their fears,” she stated. The work is really rewarding and it is great to be able to help people when you can.”
The Breathing Center also works with patients to apply for state black lung benefits and while they cannot process federal claims, they do assist miners with the disease begin the filing procedure. While miner claims are pending they are provided pulmonary rehabilitation at the facility.
“The members of Local Union 4921 provide so many essential services to the community, said President Roberts. “They represent what is the very best of the Union. No one can question the difficult life and death circumstances these workers deal with every day,” he stated. Yet they not only face each situation with compassion and love, they manage to bring some comfort to the people they serve. They are very special people.”
