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Senators introduce COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act, UMWA commends bill

Source: 12WBOY

February 1, 2021

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), along with officials from several other states, have introduced a bill to protect miners from COVID-19 exposure.

A press release issued by Senator Manchin’s Office stated that he and Senator Capito, along with Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act, which would requite the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to issue an emergency temporary standard requiring mine operators to establish a plan to tackle occupational COVID-19 exposure and provide miners with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).

Additional information of the COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act can be found here.

“Our miners risk their lives every day to power our nation and during the COVID-19 pandemic, that risk is even greater for our brave miners. The bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act will instruct DOL to create safeguards and provide PPE to ensure our miners are protected from exposure to COVID-19 in the mines. I will continue to work with my bipartisan colleagues, DOL and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) to pass this commonsense legislation to help our miners stay safe during the pandemic as they continue to provide Americans with the power we need every day.” – SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV)

“For centuries, our miners have worked tirelessly to power America and keep the lights on. It is vital that we take the necessary steps to provide them safety and job security as we continue to battle COVID-19.” – SEN. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO (R-WV)

The COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act would direct the Secretary of Labor to issue and emergency temporary standard that requires mine operators to:

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive infectious disease exposure control plan to protect miners from COVID-19 exposure at the mines;
  • Provide personal protective equipment to miners;
  • Incorporate guidelines from the CDC, NIOSH, and relevant scientific research;
  • In coordination with CDC and NIOSH, track, analyze, and investigate mine-related COVID-19 infections data in order make recommendations and guidance to protect miners from the virus.

The United Mine Workers of America issued a response on Monday commending the bill, saying it will provide the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) a critical and vitally-needed tool to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 among America’s nearly 200,00 miners employed in the nation’s coal, metal and nonmetal mines.

“An Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) at MSHA is long overdue, and should have been issued at the beginning of this pandemic. You would think that the government agencies that are charged with protecting workers on the job would not have to be forced to do it. But that is where we find ourselves today.

I welcome President Biden’s Executive Order directing MSHA to determine if an ETS should be issued, but that does not mean that the agency will do it. I fear that left to its own devices, MSHA will not take this needed action.

This legislation will ensure that MSHA will issue such an order, enforce it and then make it permanent. I want to thank the lead sponsors, Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), and the bipartisan lawmakers in both houses of Congress who have come to the aid of miners, their families and their communities across America. I urge swift passage of this legislation.” – UMWA INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT CECIL E. ROBERTS

The release from the UMWA stated that more than 500 UMWA miners have contracted the virus in the past 11 months. UMWA officials said many miners have been hospitalized, and some have died. The extent of infection in nonunion mines is not known at this point, because MSHA is not keeping track. The UMWA represents about 30 percent of all active hourly coal miners in the United States, according to the release.

Written by: Sam Haines

Manchin, Capito, team with others to reintroduce miners’ COVID protection bill

Source: The Dominion Post

February 1, 2021

MORGANTOWN – West Virginia Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito have again teamed with other senators to reintroduce the COVID-19 Mine Worker Protection Act.

The bill would direct the U.S. Secretary of Labor to issue an emergency temporary standard (ETS) that requires mine operators to develop and implement a comprehensive infectious disease exposure control plan to protect miners from COVID-19 exposure at the mines; provide personal protective equipment to miners; incorporate guidelines from the CDC, NIOSH and relevant scientific research; and in coordination with CDC and NIOSH, track, analyze and investigate mine-related COVID-19 infections data in order make recommendations and guidance to protect miners from the virus.

The senators previously introduced this bill last May but it went nowhere.

Manchin said, “Our miners risk their lives every day to power our nation and during the COVID-19 pandemic, that risk is even greater for our brave miners.”

Capito said, “For centuries, our miners have worked tirelessly to power America and keep the lights on. It is vital that we take the necessary steps to provide them safety and job security as we continue to battle COVID-19.”

The bill again has the backing of the United Mine Workers of America, who failed in June in a joint effort with the United Steelworkers to obtain a federal court order to require the Mine Safety and Health Administration to issue an ETS.

More than 500 UMWA miners have contracted the virus in the past 11 months, UMWA said. Many have been hospitalized, some have died. The extent of infection in nonunion mines is not known at this point, because MSHA is not keeping track. The UMWA represents about 30% of all active hourly coal miners in the United States.

UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said of the new bill, “An Emergency Temporary Standard at MSHA is long overdue, and should have been issued at the beginning of this pandemic. You would think that the government agencies that are charged with protecting workers on the job would not have to be forced to do it. But that is where we find ourselves today.”

Roberts said President Biden has issued an executive order on the issue but expressed skepticism about how much it will achieve. “I welcome President Biden’s executive order directing MSHA to determine if an ETS should be issued, but that does not mean that the agency will do it. I fear that left to its own devices, MSHA will not take this needed action. This legislation will ensure that MSHA will issue such an order, enforce it and then make it permanent.”

Last June, Roberts and UMWA spokeman Phil Smith explained the need for a national ETS.

Air is circulated throughout a mine, Roberts said, meaning an airborne disease like COVID-19 can spread among workers who are far removed from one another.

Smith said some companies exercise due caution but others don’t.

“There is no consistency from company to company or mine to mine. Some of the more responsible operators, and all of those where the UMWA represents the workers, are issuing masks, working to schedule shifts in such a way to reduce the number of miners who are in the changing areas of the mine portals at the same time, and taking other steps to encourage social distancing in the elevators and mantrips underground.

“But many others are not,” he said then. “All MSHA has done is issue voluntary guidelines for mines to follow, but until there is something that requires all mine operators to do the same things at every mine far too many operators will continue to ignore the guidelines. There needs to be something with teeth that is enforceable.”

Joining with Manchin and Capito to sponsor the bill are Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va.; Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Tim Kaine, D-Va.; Bob Casey, D-Pa.; and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

In the House, Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., introduced the twin version.

Written by: David Beard

Union Plus Union-Made Snacks for Game Day

Source: Union Plus

The Super Bowl is just around the corner! Put your game face on and tune in to watch it live from the safety of your own couch! We’ve gathered a list of union-made beer, snacks and desserts for you that are perfect for game day.

Get ready for Super Bowl Sunday! Did you know that unions play a big role in the Super Bowl? Footballs for the Super Bowl are made with union-made leather by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW); of course, the NFL Players are members of NFLPA, and even the stadium workers are unionized!

Show your support by making your game day party spread union-made:

Beer:

1845 Pils Michelob
Bass Pale Ale Mickey’s
Beck’s Miller
Blue Moon Molson Canadian
Budweiser Moosehead
Busch Natural
Butte Creek O’Doul’s (non alcoholic)
Goose Island Olde English 800
Hamm’s Pabst
Henry Weinhard’s Red Stripe
Hoegaarden Red Tail Ale
Iron City Rolling Rock
Keystone Light Sam Adams
Killian’s Schlitz
Kingfisher Premium Lager Shock Top
Kirin Steel Reserve
Labatt Blue Steelhead
Land Shark Lager Stegmaier
Leffe Blond Stella Artois
Lionshead

Snacks:

Alexander & Hornung Cheez-It
Always Tender Chex Mix
Ball Park Doritos
Banquet Fritos
Butterball Humpty Dumpty Potato Chips
Dearborn Sausage Co. Lay’s
Farmer John Pirate Booty
Farmland Smartfood Popcorn
Hebrew National Rold Gold Pretzels
Hormel Ruffles
Omaha Steaks Mission Chips
Oscar Mayer Old El Paso chips
Thumann’s Pace Salsa
Tyson Stacy’s Pita Chips
Act II Popcorn Sun Chips
Bagel Bites Tostitos chips and salsa
Bugels B&M Baked Beans
Cheetos

Desserts:

Ding Dongs Keebler Vanilla Wafers
Twinkies Kit Kat
SnoBalls Laffy Taffy
Rice Krispies Treats Breyer’s Ice Cream
Chips Ahoy Good Humor Ice Cream
Nabisco Nilla Wafers Prairie Farms Ice Cream

Remington’s union, new owners are at the negotiating table

Source: Times Union

January 14, 2021

Ilion, Herkimer County plant was purchased out of bankruptcy

ILION – The union representing laid off employees of the Remington Arms gun factory here says they are now in negotiations with the plant’s new owners.

The United Mine Workers had in December complained that RemArms, the new company that purchased the historic factory out of bankruptcy, had been reaching out directly to former employees with job offers.

UMW[A] officials at the time said that was probably unlawful, given the existing contracts in place when the company’s old owners went into bankruptcy proceedings last year. Since then, the two sides have come to the table and are negotiating, said union spokesman Phil Smith.

“The United Mine Workers of America… have entered into negotiations with the purchasers of the plant, Roundhill, for a collective bargaining agreement regarding terms and conditions of employment at the plant,” Smith said in an email. “We look forward to swiftly reaching an agreement that we can bring to our members for ratification, so that we can begin getting them back to work as soon as possible.”

Roundhill Group LLC renamed the plant RemArms after purchasing it and a handgun barrel factory in Lenoir City, Tenn., for $13 million in the bankruptcy proceedings.

The Ilion plant makes a variety of hunting rifles as well as arms for police and military use. Of the approximately 700 who had been employed at the plant, 585 were laid off during the bankruptcy.

RemArms, in its earlier letter to laid-off workers, said they wanted to reopen in February.

 

Written by: Rick Karlin

 

 

2021 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference

Source: AFL-CIO

January 8, 2020

 

2021 AFL-CIO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE | JAN. 15-16, 2021
SAVE THE DATE. MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.

We’re done talking about what 2020 has taken from us. Let’s talk about what we built together. Let’s talk about what we’ll fight for in 2021.

Thousands of organizers and activists protested across the country, demanding to be heard as they said, “Black Lives Matter.” Millions of people elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House, winning a labor-friendly administration and the first African American and Indian American woman as vice president.

With that inspiration, the theme for the 2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference is From Protest to Power: When We Fight, We Win. On Jan. 15 and 16, we will gather virtually to build on our victories and strategize about the continued fight for economic and racial justice with—and also within—the labor movement.

The conference will be free of charge, and all sessions and trainings will be held online so that everyone can attend safely.

January 15th:

11-11:15 am : Conference Opens and Benediction

11:15 – 11:30 : Welcome and Greetings

11:30 am – Noon : President’s Address

Noon – 12:45 pm : Concurrent Issue Forms

12:45 – 1 pm : Virtual Networking

1 – 1:45 pm : Keynote Address and Panel Discussion

1:45 – 2 pm : Closing Remarks

January 16th:

11 – 11:15 am : Benediction and Day 2 Conference Opening

11:15 – Noon : Plenary

Noon – 12:15 pm : Virtual Networking

12:15 – 1 pm : Concurrent Issue Forums

1 – 1:45 pm : Awards Ceremony

1:45 – 2 pm : Closing Remarks

*Please note that there will be a virtual community service/contribution option available to all participants.
This agenda is tentative and subject to change.*

 

Click here to register for the event!

 

2021 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference

Source: AFL-CIO

January 8, 2020

 

2021 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference

Virtual Conference | Jan. 15-16, 2021

Save the date. More information will be available soon.

We’re done talking about what 2020 has taken from us. Let’s talk about what we built together. Let’s talk about what we’ll fight for in 2021.

Thousands of organizers and activists protested across the country, demanding to be heard as they said, “Black Lives Matter.” Millions of people elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House, winning a labor-friendly administration and the first African American and Indian American woman as vice president.

With that inspiration, the theme for the 2021 Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference is From Protest to Power: When We Fight, We Win. On Jan. 15 and 16, we will gather virtually to build on our victories and strategize about the continued fight for economic and racial justice with—and also within—the labor movement.

The conference will be free of charge, and all sessions and trainings will be held online so that everyone can attend safely.

January 15th:

11-11:15 am : Conference Opens and Benediction

11:15 – 11:30 : Welcome and Greetings

11:30 am – Noon : President’s Address

Noon – 12:45 pm : Concurrent Issue Forms

12:45 – 1 pm : Virtual Networking

1 – 1:45 pm : Keynote Address and Panel Discussion

1:45 – 2 pm : Closing Remarks

January 16th:

11 – 11:15 am : Benediction and Day 2 Conference Opening

11:15 – Noon : Plenary

Noon – 12:15 pm : Virtual Networking

12:15 – 1 pm : Concurrent Issue Forums

1 – 1:45 pm : Awards Ceremony

1:45 – 2 pm : Closing Remarks

*Please note that there will be a virtual community service/contribution option available to all participants.
This agenda is tentative and subject to change.*

 

Click here to register for the event!

The new operator of Pennsylvania’s third largest coal mine remains a mystery

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

December 16, 2020

Last week, a mysterious new outfit took over the 40-year-old Cumberland Mine in Greene County.

Few people, including those among the coal mine’s 700-person workforce, know the provenance of their new employer. The name of the company, Iron Senergy Holding LLC, is ringing no bells. It was just formed.

Its team is so fresh that Iron Senergy’s new CFO, Michael Castle, just left his former employer, steel and mining company ArcelorMittal, last week. CEO Justin Thompson and COO Tim Runyan are also ArcelorMittal alumni. Mr. Runyan left the steel company in January for a short stint as head of production for Peabody Energy.

The newly formed venture has kept its leadership secret, redacting officers’ names in Contura’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and providing no contact information.

Mr. Castle, reached this week, said Iron’s management team wanted to first sit down with the union that represents its miners and Cumberland’s large suppliers before anyone else, but “COVID issues have kind of put the skids on that for a couple of weeks.”

They plan to reach out to those stakeholders this week, he said.

Chuck Knisell is eager for the contact. As District 2 Vice President of United Mine Workers of America, he said so far the union had received one e-mail from Iron’s legal counsel saying the new company will take over the labor agreement “as is” and plans to mine.

That’s unmitigated good news, Mr. Knisell said.

The UMWA has 580 workers at the mine and, he estimated, another 125 workers are in management positions there. The staffing levels are back to where they were three years ago, he said, before Contura Energy, Cumberland’s owner until last week, announced that it wanted to get out of mining thermal coal — the kind of coal burned at power plants — and focus on metallurgical coal used in steelmaking.

Contura’s shareholders leaned on the company to accelerate that strategy and Contura announced earlier this year that, whether it succeeded in finding a buyer for Cumberland or not, it will stop mining there before 2022.

It called off a $60 million project to build a new impoundment for coal waste that would allow it to keep Cumberland open longer — the current pit is nearly full.

If Iron Senergy plans to continue mining past 2022, as it has said, Mr. Knisell said, it will need to invest that money soon as construction would likely take several years.

Mr. Castle said the new owner is absolutely intent on keeping the mine going into the future. “I think there’s a great reserve base there, a great employee base,” he said. “It’s a great property, (and) the intent is to continue mining.”

Iron Senergy, which was formed specifically for the purpose of buying Contura Energy’s Northern Appalachia business, was basically given $50 million to take the Cumberland Mine, the shuttered and now full of water Emerald Mine, and other properties off Contura’s hands. In an announcement about the deal last month, Iron Senergy said it might be interested in exploring solar development on these assets.

Contura, which itself was formed to acquire the best assets from the bankruptcy of Alpha Natural Resources in 2016, said the Iron Senergy deal spared it the current equivalent of $169 million in future environmental reclamation costs.

A history of new owners

The fact that mines switch hands in the coal industry is no great surprise, and this isn’t the first instance of companies paying others to get rid of coal liabilities.

Cumberland, which began producing in the late 1970s, was originally developed by Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. The mine has been through half a dozen owners since then, although all were bigger companies that had other mines.

Last year, according to data from the Energy Information Administration, Cumberland produced 6.6 million tons of coal — putting it third in Pennsylvania behind two Consol Energy Inc. mines, also in Greene County.

Even with scale, coal is a labor and capital intensive commodity business where struggling companies compete not just against one another, but against natural gas suppliers and other fuels for space on the electric grid. It’s not uncommon for mines to close before their owners have pulled all of the coal from their bellies.

The Cumberland mine has 17 years of remaining life, according to Contura’s latest annual report filed earlier this year. There are still more than 31 million short tons of reserves left in the mine.

But many more millions of tons in untapped deposits were also transferred to Iron Senergy as part of the deal, including a block called the Greene Manor Reserve estimated to hold some 230 million short tons of coal. While Contura listed all of those reserves as best suited for power plants, not steelmaking, Cumberland did sell a small fraction of its production into the metallurgical coal market.

Contura isn’t totally done with Greene County.

According to a statement issued last week, the company said it retained “large block of Freeport seam metallurgical-grade coal reserves, located near the Cumberland and Emerald properties for potential future development.”

Written by: Anya Litvak

Union Plus: 22 Winter Activities You Can Do at Home

Source: Union Plus

Whether you want to stay indoors or venture outside, let’s have a blast this winter! We’ve rounded up a list of winter activities the whole family can enjoy at home.

Have a taste of winter

There’s nothing like a cup of hot cocoa or cider after a snowball fight. Keep your family warm and full with these wintertime staples.

  • Make spiced cider
  • Load up on hot cocoa with whipped cream, marshmallows, and chocolate sauce
  • Make pancakes with hot maple syrup
  • Bake a pie or cookies
  • Simmer a pot of hearty stew or homemade soup
  • Do family fondue night

White Chocolate Fondue Recipe

Try this decadent White Chocolate Fondue recipe from Sandra Lee. You’ll only need a handful of (union-made) ingredients! Choose from pretzels, pound cake, sliced apples, or bananas for dipping.

  • 1 cup heavy cream (Dairy Fresh, Hiland Dairy, Prairie Farms)
  • ½ stick of unsalted butter (Dairy Fresh, Hiland Dairy, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Land O’ Lakes Butter, Prairie Farms)
  • 1 (12 oz.) white chocolate morsels (Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, Nestlé)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and butter. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add white morsels. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Transfer to a fondue pot, chafing dish, or ceramic bowl.

Spend time outdoors

Being outdoors this winter is one of the easiest and safest ways to have fun! Here are some of our top picks for outdoor winter activities.

  • Go sledding down hills
  • Make snow angels
  • Build a snowman or snow fort
  • Have an awesome snowball fight
  • Take a wintry hike
  • Go ice skating
  • Plan a winter scavenger hunt
  • Build a bonfire and make s’mores

Connect with loved ones

Make the most of your time with loved ones with these easy ideas.

  • Setup a living room picnic
  • Eat dinner by candlelight
  • Host a themed movie marathon
  • Plan a virtual game night

Try something new this year

If trying something new this year is on your resolutions list, here are some hobby ideas for you to embark on

  • Take an online cooking class
  • Join a virtual fitness class
  • Host a virtual book club
  • Take up arts and crafts

FORMER REMINGTON WORKERS ARE DEALING WITH A LOT THIS THANKSGIVING SEASON

Source: News Channel 2 

November 19, 2020

 

 

Ilion, N.Y. – Cars lined up in Ilion Thursday morning to have a turkey and some trimmings put into their trunk or backseat to help them have a happier Thanksgiving this year.

This turkey giveaway, put on by CNY Labor Council, was specifically for United Mine Workers Local 717 union members, former Remington workers who lost their jobs last month when Remington closed its doors due to bankruptcy.

When you couple COVID with Remington closing its doors, this Thanksgiving for the nearly 600 former Remington workers is going to be a rough one, but their hope is that the new company, Roundhill Group, which purchased Remington’s Ilion assets, will open the doors back up soon, and hire many of them back, and then next year, they won’t be waiting in a line for a turkey.

United Mine Workers Local 717 President Jeff Madison says he would like to see as many of the nearly 600 workers let go hired by Roundhill Group, “I’m hoping that they talk to the union again. I’m hoping that they want the union back in there and then it would go by seniority and they would hire the senior people first, then go all the way down to the bottom. I heard 400 to 450 people. I’m hoping there will be more, I’m hoping that everyone will get to come back.”

Many of the workers are out thousands of dollars in severance pay and unused vacation that they have not been paid for by Remington after it went bankrupt, something the workers, including Brian Thayer who was in line for a turkey, feel they are due under their union contract, “They owe us the money, they also owe us vacation, We’re only asking for what is ours. We’re not asking for any more, just what’s owed to us.”

Rusty Brown, former UMWA Local 717 President, who also lost his job in October says this is a very difficult time for everyone, “Who would’ve ever thought that all of us that work at Remington would be forming this line for free turkeys. I mean times are crazy and we all just want to go back to work.”

No word yet on how soon Roundhill Group will receive its federal firearm license which allow them to open.

Written by: Gary Liberatore

Lawmakers, Union Urge Mine Safety Regulators to Act on Silica Dust

Source: WKMS Murray State’s NPR Station

November 23, 2020

 

A group of Ohio Valley senators says a watchdog agency’s recent report shows that federal regulators must do more to protect coal miners from silica dust, an especially toxic form of dust created when mining equipment cuts into rock layers near coal seams.

In a Monday morning press release, six Democratic senators, including Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, called the findings in last week’s Inspector General’s report “extremely troubling,” saying the Mine Safety and Health Administration knew what it needed to do to lower miners’ exposure to deadly silica dust.

The senators’ pressure comes after the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General found that MSHA’s standards for exposure to deadly silica dust were out of date, and that the mine safety agency’s sampling methods were too infrequent to guarantee that miners were protected.

“We are asking that you take immediate action to implement the recommendations contained in the OIG report,” the senators wrote in a jointly issued letter addressed to MSHA head David Zatezelo. “We further ask that you provide us with a thorough description of the measures currently being conducted by the agency to ensure that our brave and patriotic coal miners are shielded from excess exposure to silica dust on the job site.”

Zatezelo, a former mining executive, has been slow to act on a separate standard for silica exposure, and, in a response to the Inspector General’s report included in its appendix, said he could not agree with two of the IG’s three recommendations for improvements.

Silica is a component in the coal dust that is released in the mining process and is a major contributor to the ongoing black lung epidemic in coal country. The shocking surge in black lung cases was first revealed by NPR. Certain coal mining practices and a higher silica content in the rock surrounding Appalachian coal make miners in the region more likely to contract the progressive and deadly disease.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has found that as many as one in five experienced Appalachian coal miners has some form of black lung disease. Traditionally considered an older miner’s disease, a growing number of young miners suffer from black lung, as well.

Also Monday, United Mine Workers of America president Cecil Roberts issued a statement calling the Inspector General’s report quote “right on the money,” and said he looked forward to working with the Biden administration on the workplace protections.

Written by: Sydney Boles