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UMWA says NIOSH layoffs could affect coal mining safety

Source: WDTV

Date: April 2, 2025

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va (WDTV) – The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown will soon be scaled back significantly, and employees aren’t the only ones worried about the layoffs. Coal miners used research from NIOSH daily to keep themselves safe. Now with the jobs gone, they’re worried about what’s coming next.

“A huge surprise to the United Mine Workers, that they are willing to shut down so many offices within NIOSH including a lot of the mining programs within NIOSH, for example, the Morgantown office holds the respiratory disease division,” said Erin Bates, United Mine Workers of America Director of Communications.

While most may not realize it, NIOSH is integral to coal mining in West Virginia. According to mining officials, they offered programs specifically designed to help keep miners safe.

“Lung X-ray programs, MSHA’s Part 90 program, which protects these miners from respiratory diseases to close this office is going to have a huge effect on the miners that are in the area,” said Bates.

The UMWA fears there will be even more government cuts, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) might be axed. Officials want solutions.

“I hope there is a plan in place were hoping that they have taken that into consideration that is going to be detrimental not only to the miners in the area,” said Bates.

 

Written by: Caine Pittman

UMWA leader says answers needed now regarding federal cuts

Source: Metro News

Date: April 2, 2025

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — UMWA President Cecil Roberts wants answers after job cuts to MSHA and NIOSH.

Roberts said during and appearance Wednesday on MetroNews Midday no one knows if  local MSHA offices will remain or if they will relocate and how many mine inspectors that work out of those offices are still on staff.

“They don’t know how many federal inspectors have been caught up in this layoff and termination of workers that have been protecting miners for ages,” Roberts said. “No one has an answer for this.”

The experiences that have been shared with Roberts since the announcements have left many unsure about their futures.

Roberts said the more than 200 workers losing their jobs at NIOSH in Morgantown are seasoned professionals that do the research and testing on the products that improve working conditions, safety and save the lives of coal miners regularly.

“He got an email telling him not to come to work, and that was the extent of the information he got as to whether or not he had a job,” Roberts said of one worker he’s spoken with. “It sounds like these very experienced people are going to be laid off, terminated, or moved somewhere, and they don’t know what their future is.”

Referencing a picture on his wall citing the bravery of miners given to him by the wife of Robert F. Kennedy Sr., he expressed frustration at the appearance of a lack of understanding. He said he’s talked to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. when, as an anti-coal environmentalist years ago, but would especially appreciate the opportunity to speak with him as soon as possible.

“I’ll give him every opportunity—the doors will be open, and the phone lines are open if he would like to call and have a conversation,” Roberts said. “Or just send somebody down here to tell us what’s going on so we can prepare for it.” Roberts said. ”

Roberts said a good comparison would be if the 911 system went out in a county or municipality and there was no way to call for help. The communication blackout also continues with the federal government to the UMWA for information regarding the job action that has thousands of miners and families concerned.

“If an explosion took place, or a fire took place and nobody knows where the ambulance is coming from and nobody knows where the firefighters are,” Roberts said. “We would never tolerate that, but we seem to be tolerating it right now when it comes to coal miners.”

The bottom line is the UMWA needs a strong, reliable MHSA in order to maintain safety levels needed for these living-wage jobs.

“We need to continue to improve on the law that protects coal miners, and we need the personnel there that we can count on,” Roberts said. “On a daily basis, on a weekly basis, and God forbid in another terrible tragedy.”

Representatives of 23,000 West Virginian federal employees facing the possibility of job loss are scheduled to rally in front of the House of Delegates Chamber Thursday afternoon.

 

Written By: Mike Nolting

UMWA President Cecil Roberts: We can mine more coal, but who will buy it

Source: WVNews

Date:  April 4, 2025

 

United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts says he’s supportive of efforts to ramp up coal production. That means more jobs and tax revenues for coal-producing states, including his native West Virginia.

But as Roberts pointed out in a phone interview, what’s missing is a marketplace for it. Half of West Virginia’s coal production is exported, but that’s under threat from a Trump administration trade proposal.

Domestically, coal has declined to 15% of electric power generation. There are few signs that utilities are about to reverse their long decommitment from coal.

“In order to double the production of coal, you have to have a place for it to go. That seems to be the first hurdle here, where are we going to sell this coal? And who’s going to buy it?”

“There’s places around the world that are still using coal, where we’re taking advantage of that. We’re about to lose that possibility here, as opposed to having a marketplace where we can survive in a manner that we have been we’re going to lose that if we don’t fix that. That’s number one.”

Roberts says bringing back domestic steel production would increase demand for metallurgical coal. Nucor is building a steel plant in Mason County, though it will be powered by electricity, and at least some of that electricity will be generated by renewables.

“Number two, we have to have a marketplace here in United States. If it’s going to be a domestic marketplace, then we have to have a steel industry. We’re going to mine more met coal and sell it in the United States. We can mine all the met coal that you could possibly mine. That’s got to go somewhere. Somebody’s got to buy it.”

Roberts has announced he’s retiring from the UMWA in October.

 
Written by: Curtis Tate

UMWA’s Roberts delivers keynote address at event to recognize Vietnam veterans

Source: MetroNews

Date: March 30, 2025

 

NITRO, W.Va. — UMWA President Cecil Roberts helped lead Sunday’s special recognition of Vietnam veterans in Nitro.

The soon-to-be-retired Roberts gave the keynote address at the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event at Nitro Living Memorial Park.

“It’s very moving when you think about the time you were in Vietnam,” Roberts told reporters. “We (the UMWA) clean that wall (Vietnam Memorial Wall) every year and I’ve seen men lay down their cleaning supplies and pause for a moment because they saw someone’s name the served with.”

Roberts said he didn’t experience the hate that other Vietnam veterans did when they returned home. He said he attributes a lot of that to being from West Virginia.

“The airports were pretty tough though,” he said. “If someone is willing to give their life for this country you have no business of saying anything but thank you.”

Roberts said laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was probably the best experience he’s had in his life on a personal level.

Sunday’s activities featured recognitions, speeches and information.  Representatives  from the West Virginia Veterans Administration were there to address questions about benefits and eligibility.

 

Written By: Jeff Jenkins

Cecil Roberts: Workers’ rights on the chopping block (opinion)

Source: WVgazettemail

Date: March 18, 2025

 

 

 

Legislation advancing in the West Virginia Legislature to end civil service protections for new hires in some state agencies is yet one more example of how far West Virginia has fallen regarding caring about workers and their rights on the job.

Our state was once a place where all workers were treated with respect. Today, it seems as if the state government can’t move fast enough to drive working families to the bottom of the barrel, stripping away rights won long ago in bloody struggles with coal barons and other out-of-state operatives.

Supporters of House Bill 2008 will say that its provisions ending merit-based civil service protections and the state’s grievance procedure at some agencies will not affect anyone currently working for the state. But people retire every day and new employees are hired to fill those positions. People constantly move to different jobs within state government. Those people will lose the protections long afforded them by state law.

But why? What have they done to have their rights as workers taken away? I have not seen or heard of any example of a worker who abused their position so badly that these protections should be stripped away from an entire group of workers.

And let’s get real here: This is just the beginning. These are but the first group of workers who would be subject to this gutting of basic rights on the job. There will be more in the future. Before long West Virginians will be left with a state workforce without any protections and subject to the political whims of whoever is in charge. That’s a recipe for the long-term destruction of a fair and even-handed approach to providing state services.

The UMWA represents hundreds of West Virginia state employees, and we are proud to do so. We believe they deserve the same rights and respect on the job that any other worker anywhere has a right to expect. We will continue to stand up for them, because we believe going to work for the government should not mean that a worker has to give up basic rights. Nor should it mean that a person must meet some political litmus test to get a job serving all West Virginians.

I recognize the political reality in Charleston these days. This legislation is very likely to become law. But all West Virginians should recognize what it means: The degradation of workers, their families and their communities continues in our state. That’s a legacy none of us should be proud of.

Cecil Roberts is international president of the United Mine Workers of America.

 

By: Cecil E. Roberts

Willow Grove memorial

 

 

On March 15, 2025, UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts and Secretary-Treasurer Brian Sanson attended the Willow Grove memorial service outside Nelms, OH. International District 31 Vice President Mike “Biggin” Payton emceed the memorial service before more than a hundred attendees, including family members of the 72 miners killed in the tragedy in 1940.

“We gather here and at other places like it in the coalfields every year so that we can pay our respects to those lost and their families,” President Roberts said. “We will never forget their sacrifice and rededicate ourselves to continuing our fight for safer mines and workplaces. We want no other lives to be lost and no other families to suffer the unending grief of suddenly losing a parent or sibling simply because they went to work that day.”

A committee of UMWA retirees, active members and staff have worked tirelessly for several years to create a proper memorial for them. Work at the site is ongoing. 

 

Cecil Roberts: ‘I wish I could have done more organizing’

Source: MetroNews

Date: March 16, 2025

 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Longtime UMWA President Cecil Roberts considers the next seven months his “long goodbye.”

Roberts announced last week he would retire from the position he has held since 1995. Prior to his presidency he served as vice president of the union and before that was active in the leadership of UMWA District 17.

“When I walked through those doors in District 17, I was a 30-year-old coal miner right off the shuttle car. It’s pretty hard to go from the shuttle car one day to sitting behind a desk the next day trying to figure out what you’re supposed to do,” laughed Roberts.

However, it was clear from day one for Roberts, his career would be a near constant battle to protect the benefits of the union membership.

“That very day I started a letter was sent to every single person active and retired that their benefits from the health and retirement benefit fund were being cut. I’m standing up in front of crowds trying to explain this. I was thinking what did a shuttle car operator have to do with this? But I realized you’ve got to take responsibility and fix it,” Roberts told MetroNews.

So for the next five decades he, along with many others, fought to preserve benefits. One of the greatest uphill battles was to preserve the retiree pension benefits and healthcare benefits promised in contracts from long ago. Bankruptcy laws created escapes for coal companies responsible for funding the programs, but as the industry changed the revenue to pay for them slowly evaporated. Eventually, it took congressional action to keep the promise.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is nobody lost their healthcare completely because we found ways to continue to provide it until we managed to get up on Capitol Hill. Legislation passed in 2017 and in December 2019 we passed legislation which protected our healthcare and our pensions,” he explained.

While that was his proudest accomplishment, Roberts said his biggest disappointments were two failings which went hand-in-hand.

“Not only was I unable to save the coal industry, no one else was either. Whether they were politicians or presidents who were favorable to the coal industry, it continued on the decline,” Roberts said.

In recent years, the environmental pressures on the industry put Roberts and the union in the odd position of teaming up with coal operators to fight for the survival of the industry. It was a fight with limited success and for Roberts led to his other big disappointment.

“I would love to have been able to organize more people, but it’s really hard to organize in an industry that’s losing people left and right. You go into a mine with 200 people and start passing out cards to organize, the next thing you know that mine is gone,” he said.

The industry transformed during Roberts’ time. When he took his first union position at District 17 there were 200,000 union coal miners. Today, there are around 44,000 union or non-union employed in the coal industry.

“If you had told me this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have believed you. Heck you could quit a job or get fired from a job at 9:00 in the morning and have another job before the evening shift started, but those days are gone,” said Roberts.

Roberts will serve in his role until the International Convention in St. Louis in October.

 

Written By: Chris Lawrence

UMWA President Cecil Roberts to retire this fall

Source: MetroNews

Date: March 11, 2025

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Longtime United Mine Workers Union President Cecil Roberts has announced his retirement bringing to a close 30-years of leading the labor organization.

Roberts, a native of Cabin Creek, told the UMWA’s International Executive Board on Jan. 16 that he will retire at the close of the International Special Convention that will be held in October in St. Louis.

The union made the announcement in a social media post Tuesday.

“I am going to retire at the end of the Special Convention. I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world. It has been 59 years since I was drafted, and I survived Vietnam, returned home and have been able to live for 50 plus years. I contracted cancer because of Vietnam, but I’m cancer free as of now and am working to remain so. I am a lucky guy,” said Roberts.

“Brian Sanson is going to be your next president. I want everybody to know that I am going to do everything I can to support him, and I’m going to do everything in my power to get him elected when the next elections come around. I will put my name on every piece of material I can in support of him. I suggest that we all ought to do the same.”

After returning home from Vietnam, the fiery Roberts got a job at Carbon Fuel’s No. 31 Mine near Winifrede in eastern Kanawha County. He was elected vice president of UMWA District 17 in 1977. He began serving as UMWA International Vice President in December 1982. He took over for Rich Trumka as president of the union on Oct. 22, 1995.

Roberts is known for holding up the union’s past and fighting for its future.

In a September 2021 commemorative march to remember the Battle of Blair Mountain, Roberts told MetroNews.

“This is something that labor is determined to keep visible, This is something that led to organizing not only in West Virginia but across the country.”

Tuesday’s announcement from the UMWA said Roberts looks forward to spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren when he retires.

 

Written By: Jeff Jenkins

Associate Membership Spotlight

 

Belinda Biafore

The January/February issue of the journal proudly features Belinda Biafore as its Associate Membership Spotlight.

Belinda Biafore is an Associate Member and long-time supporter of the United Mine Workers. Sister Biafore is the former West Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman and has been an active leader in organized labor. “Our sister Belinda is an amazing woman,” said International President Cecil Roberts. “She is always involved in a fight for the working people of West Virginia. We have been friends for many years and I have deep appreciation for our sister in labor.”

When asked what it means to be a part of the UMWA, Belinda stated, “I have walked alongside my brothers and sister of the United Mine Workers of America for as long as I can remember, and I will continue to do so for as long as I can.”