News Archive - Page 37 of 63 - United Mine Workers of America

Murray Energy Holdings Co. Enters Into Restructuring Support Agreement with Members of Ad Hoc Lender Group And Files Chapter 11 To Access $350 Million In New Money DIP Financing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 29, 2019

On October 29, 2019, Murray Energy Holdings Co. (“Murray Energy” or the “Company”) announced that Murray Energy and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (the “RSA”) with an ad hoc lender group (the “Ad Hoc Lender Group”) holding more than 60% of the approximately $1.7 billion in claims under the Company’s Superpriority Credit and Guaranty Agreement.

To implement the RSA, Murray Energy, including certain of its subsidiaries, filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio (the “Bankruptcy Court”) on October 29, 2019 (collectively, the “Chapter 11 Cases”).

Voluntary petitions have also been filed for all of the Company’s main operating subsidiaries, including American Energy Corporation, The Harrison County Coal Company, The Marion County Coal Company, The Marshall County Coal Company, The Monongalia County Coal Company, The Ohio County Coal Company, UtahAmerican Energy, Inc., Murray South America, Inc., The Muhlenberg County Coal Company and The Western Kentucky Coal Company, LLC, which operate mining complexes located in Ohio, West Virginia, Utah, Kentucky and Colombia.

Foresight Energy LP (NYSE: FELP) and Foresight Energy GP LLC, including their direct and indirect subsidiaries, as well as Murray Metallurgical Coal Holdings, LLC, Murray Eagle Mining, LLC, Murray Alabama Minerals, LLC, Murray Maple Eagle Coal, LLC, Murray Alabama Coal, LLC and Murray Oak Grove, LLC did not file voluntary petitions and are not part of the Company’s Chapter 11 Cases.

New Money DIP Financing and RSA Terms

The Company intends to finance its operations throughout Chapter 11 with cash on hand and access to a $350 million new money debtor-in-possession financing facility (the “DIP Facility”), subject to Bankruptcy Court approval. Lenders party to the RSA have committed to provide the full amount of the DIP Facility, and other Lenders under the Company’s Superpriority Credit and Murray Energy Press Release October 29, 2019 Page 2 Guaranty Agreement will be given the opportunity to provide funding under the DIP Facility. The proceeds of the DIP Facility will be used to refinance borrowings under the Company’s existing ABL credit facility and to support ordinary course operations and payments to employees and suppliers throughout the restructuring process.

Under the RSA, the Ad Hoc Lender Group has agreed to form a new entity (“Murray NewCo”) to serve as a “stalking horse bidder” to acquire substantially all of the Company’s assets by credit bidding its debt under a Chapter 11 plan, subject to an overbid process. The RSA contemplates that substantially all of the Company’s prepetition funded debt will be eliminated. The RSA further contemplates that Mr. Robert E. Murray will be named Chairman of the Board of Murray NewCo and Mr. Robert D. Moore will be President and CEO of Murray NewCo. The Company has agreed to comply with certain milestones related to implementing its Chapter 11 plan and related sale process under the DIP Facility and RSA.

Robert D. Moore Named President and CEO

In connection with the RSA and DIP Facility, as of today’s petition date, Mr. Robert D. Moore has been named President and CEO of Murray Energy and Murray Energy Corporation.

Mr. Moore said, “We appreciate the support of our lenders for this process, many of whom have been invested with the Company for a long time. I am confident the DIP Facility provides the Company with adequate liquidity to get payments to our valued trade partners and continue operating in the normal course of business without any anticipated impact to production levels.” Company founder Mr. Robert E. Murray noted, “Although a bankruptcy filing is not an easy decision, it became necessary to access liquidity and best position Murray Energy and its affiliates for the future of our employees and customers and our long term success.”

The Company has filed first day motions with the Bankruptcy Court that when granted will enable day-to-day operations to continue uninterrupted.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel to Murray Energy; Evercore is acting as investment banker; and Alvarez & Marsal is acting as financial advisor.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as legal counsel and Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc. is acting as investment banker to the Ad Hoc Lender Group.

Additional information, including court filings and other documents related to the reorganization proceedings, will be available on a website administered by the Company’s claims agent, Prime Clerk LLC, at https://cases.primeclerk.com/MurrayEnergy.

Murray Energy Posts Information Provided to Certain Lenders and Bondholders to its Website

The Company has posted certain previously undisclosed material to its website to satisfy its disclosure obligations under confidentiality agreements with certain lenders under its Superpriority Murray Energy Press Release October 29, 2019 Page 3 Credit and Guaranty Agreement, certain lenders under its ABL and FILO credit facilities and certain holders of its second lien notes.

Further inquiries should be directed to media@coalsource.com.

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Murray Energy declares bankruptcy, shifts founder Bob Murray to board chairman role

Source: WV MetroNews

October 29, 2019

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Murray Energy, an economic and political powerhouse in West Virginia, has declared bankruptcy.

Under a reorganization proposal, Robert Moore would become president and chief executive of the newly-formed Murray NewCo. Moore has already been executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at the company.With the declaration, the company has also announced a change in leadership.

Founder Bob Murray would become chairman of the board.

“Although a bankruptcy filing is not an easy decision, it became necessary to access liquidity and best position Murray Energy and its affiliates for the future of our employees and customers and our long term success,” Bob Murray stated today.

The bankruptcy plan was announced today, but has been rumored for weeks.

Murray Energy announced in early October that it had struck a temporary agreement with lenders after missing debt payments. That agreement was extended until Oct. 28.

At the center of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing is a reorganization plan with an ad hoc lender group with more than 60 percent of about $1.7 billion in claims.

Murray intends to continue operations during Chapter 11 with cash on hand plus $350 million new money from the lending group, subject to bankruptcy court approval.

The lender group intends to form a new entity, Murray NewCo, to eventually take over the company.

Voluntary bankruptcy petitions have also been filed for all of the company’s main operating subsidiaries.

Those include American Energy Corporation, The Harrison County Coal Company, The Marion County Coal Company, The Marshall County Coal Company, The Monongalia County Coal Company, The Ohio County Coal Company, UtahAmerican Energy, Inc., Murray South America, Inc., The Muhlenberg County Coal Company and The Western Kentucky Coal Company, LLC, which operate mining complexes located in Ohio, West Virginia, Utah, Kentucky and Colombia.

Not filing voluntary petitions and not part of the company’s Chapter 11 cases were Foresight Energy LP and Foresight Energy GP LLC, including their direct and indirect subsidiaries, as well as Murray Metallurgical Coal Holdings, LLC, Murray Eagle Mining, LLC, Murray Alabama Minerals, LLC, Murray Maple Eagle Coal, LLC, Murray Alabama Coal, LLC and Murray Oak Grove, LLC.

Moore, the incoming president, said he is confident the plan provides adequate liquidity to continue operating normally without affecting production.

“We appreciate the support of our lenders for this process, many of whom have been invested with the Company for a long time,” Moore stated.

Murray Energy produces 76 million tons of high quality bituminous coal each year, and employs nearly 7,000 people in six states, and Colombia, South America.

The company operates 15 active mines in five regions in the United States.

Murray Energy, like other coal companies, has been affected by declining prices for thermal coal brought on by decreased demand from power plants that are increasingly turning toward other energy sources such as natural gas, Lucas Pipes, a coal analyst with B Riley FBR Inc., told Bloomberg.

“You can’t make payments out of thin air if the money isn’t in the bank,” Pipes told the business publication last month.

Eight major U.S. coal producers have filed for bankruptcy since November 2017, including five this year.

Bob Murray has been an active backer of conservative politics, both in West Virginia and nationally.

Bob Murray personally hosted a fundraiser in July for President Donald Trump in Wheeling, near the company’s St. Clairsville, Ohio, headquarters.

Two of the largest donations so far to Gov. Jim Justice’s re-election campaign — $2,800 for the primary and another $2,800 targeted toward the General Election — have come from the Murray Energy Political Action Committee.

Murray has often used his political platform to push for breaks for the coal industry.

Some federal options to provide financial relief for coal companies — including a proposal frequently backed by Governor Justice to push coal purchases in case of national emergency to assure supply to the energy grid — have not moved forward.

Murray was critical of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for its rejection of a rule that would have subsidized coal and nuclear power plants.

In West Virginia, legislators passed a bill last year to lower the severance tax on steam coal from 5 percent to 3 percent over a period of years.

The change will amount to a $60 million reduction of state revenue in the third year.

But Governor Justice, signing the bill earlier this year at a Harrison County mine owned by Murray Energy, said the tax cut would help coal companies and the miners they employ.

Without such a tax decrease, Justice said at the signing ceremony, there would be a risk of some companies closing their doors.

“If they decide they’re not going to do anymore, then you know what happens? 55 companies declare bankruptcy,” the governor said at the time.

“We can’t do without these jobs. There’s no way around it. The multiplier effect of a coal miner’s job is astronomical. At the end of the day, we need to do everything in our power to preserve it, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Written by: Brad McElhinny

Letter to Pelosi – Calling for Action

On October 23, 2019, after the House Committee on Natural Resources passed H.R. 935 (The Miners Pension Protection Act), the original co-sponsors of that legislation wrote to Speaker Pelosi urging her to bring the bill to the House floor as quickly as possible to secure the pensions of over 100,000 active and retired miners.

To read the full letter click here.

You can find the full video of the House Committee hearing here.

We have to have action NOW! Reach out to your representative TODAY by calling (202) 224-3121 and tell them to co-sponsor H.R. 935.

For a full list of co-sponsors on this bill click here.

The Coal King is racing to avoid bankruptcy

Source: CNN Business

October 11, 2019

Robert Murray, the king of the coal industry and a forceful supporter of President Donald Trump, is fighting to save his mining empire from financial collapse.

Murray Energy, America’s largest private coal miner, recently failed to make payments to lenders. The company entered into a forbearance agreement that buys it time to negotiate a restructuring. That grace period is scheduled to expire after Monday.

The cash crunch at Murray Energy, one of the most powerful and well-connected companies in the industry, underscores the enormous pressure facing the coal country. Countless coal companies have already filed for bankruptcy.

“It’s a difficult time for anyone in the coal industry,” said Phil Smith, director of communications and governmental affairs at the United Mine Workers of America. “The industry is in trouble. It has been in trouble for almost a decade now.”

Trump’s election in 2016 raised hopes in the coal industry for a revival. The president moved swiftly to slash environmental regulations and even installed a former coal lobbyist to lead the EPA.

However, the deregulatory push is being overwhelmed by market forces. Coal just can’t compete with cheap natural gas and the plunging cost of solar, wind and other forms of renewable energy.

“Coal is not back,” said Smith.

Power companies are ditching coal in favor of cleaner alternatives at a rapid pace. US power plants are expected to consume less coal next year than at any point since President Jimmy Carter was in the White House, according to government forecasts released Tuesday.

S&P downgrades Murray to default status

Unlike many of its peers, Murray Energy was able to overcome the shrinking demand from utilities by focusing on exports. However, those shipments have shrank because of plunging prices overseas.

US coal exports are estimated to have dropped to 20.9 million short tons in the third quarter, according to the US Energy Information Administration. That represents a 28% drop from the same period of 2018. The EIA expected coal exports to keep falling, slipping to 17.3 million by the end of 2020.

“International thermal coal prices have made exports unprofitable for most of 2019, leading to mine idling and deteriorating cash flows,” S&P Global Ratings analyst Vania Dimova wrote in a report this week.

Murray Energy is under so much pressure that it failed to make amortization and interest payments during a grace period that ended on October 7. That led S&P Global Ratings to downgrade the company’s credit rating to “default.”

In a statement last week, Murray Energy said it plans to use the grace period that expires after October 17 to consider its next steps.

The company said it will talk to lenders about “various strategic options” aimed at easing its debt burden, improving its liquidity and achieving a “more sustainable capital structure.”

Murray Energy did not respond to a request for comment. The Ohio-based company says it produces about 76 million tons of coal each year and employs nearly 7,000 people across six US states as well as in Colombia.

‘Crisis situation’ for workers

Mine workers stand to lose in a potential bankruptcy, not just in jobs but potentially in the erosion of healthcare and pension benefits.

Murray Energy is the last major company contributing to the pension plan of the United Mine Workers of America, according to Smith. The pension plan’s depleted funding will only get worse if Murray Energy is relieved of its pension requirements.

“This is a crisis situation for us,” said Smith, noting that the average pension is less than $600 per month.

Murray, the company’s CEO, is a vocal champion of the industry.

In 2017, he praised Trump in an interview with CNN as “very courageous and very prudent” for deciding to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord. And Murray simultaneously slammed President Barack Obama as the “greatest destroyer the United States has ever had.”

Murray has also been a deep skeptic of the climate crisis, arguing that the threat of climate change is exaggerated.

The financial trouble facing Murray Energy was telegraphed two years ago. In August 2017, Murray wrote a letter to the Trump administration urgently requesting an emergency order to protect coal-fired power plants from being closed. In the letter, Murray warned the White House that failure to issue the order would spark the immediate bankruptcies of his company and a major customer.

“Our time is running out. Please fight for us,” Murray wrote in the letter.

However, the Trump administration rejected that cry for help because officials determined there wasn’t enough evidence to warrant the use of emergency authority.

In 2017, Murray filed a defamation lawsuit against John Oliver, HBO and CNN owner Time Warner (now called WarnerMedia), alleging “character assassination” during an episode of “Last Week Tonight.” That lawsuit was dismissed last year.

Written by: Matt Egan

Union Plus: AT&T Discounts

Source: Union Plus

Why Should Union Members Choose AT&T?

Exclusive Wireless Discounts
Stack AT&T’s special offers with union-exclusive savings like up to $45 waived activation and upgrade fees¹ — plus 20% off select accessories from AT&T and 15% off the monthly service charge of Mobile Share plans.

Network Reliability
AT&T is ranked America’s best network by GSW OneScore.

Endorsed by Union Members
Over 91% of union members surveyed say that they would recommend the AT&T Signature Program.

^{15% Service discount not available on AT&T Unlimited Plans — but members are still eligible to advantage of the accessory, activation and upgrade fee discounts.}

Already have AT&T?

Enroll online to register automatically, or
Go into a store with your coupon and union ID^§ and ask for the union member discount.

Not an AT&T Customer?

Order online to enroll automatically, or
Go into a store with your coupon and union ID^§ and ask for the union member discount.

Rethinking Retraining: Why Worker Training Programs Alone Won’t Save Coal Country

Source: Ohio Valley Resource

October 4, 2019

Bobby Bowman mined coal in West Virginia for 12 years before his employer shut down.

“I don’t think that mine will ever open again,” he said.

Bowman lives in Welch, in the south of the state, where he worked at the Pinnacle Mine, which shut down almost exactly one year ago, putting him and about 400 others out of work. After waiting a month in hopes someone would buy Pinnacle and the mine would reopen, Bowman decided to do a four-week training program offered by the United Mine Workers Career Center. He enjoyed it and earned a certification in heavy equipment operation. But when he came back home, he struggled to find a job in the field. So Bowman took matters into his own hands.

“So I sent myself through truck driving school and that’s what I’m doing today,” he said.

Bowman is not alone. In the midst of the region’s declining industries, politicians are betting big on job training, with millions directed at those who lost jobs in coal mining and power plants.

Rebecca Kiger | Ohio Valley ReSource

Participants in a West Virginia worker training program offered by Coalfield Development Corporation.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced nearly $5 million for worker training programs in Appalachia. It’s the latest influx of funding aimed at blunting the job losses in the region’s coal sector.

Recently Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced more than $2 million in funding from the National Dislocated Workers fund, and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced more than $1 million in funding from the same program.

But critics say worker training alone is no solution and that such retraining programs have a poor record in actually connecting dislocated workers with local employment that pays a comparative wage.

“There are great examples of ones here in Appalachia who have trained people for jobs then they couldn’t find employment,” Ted Boettner said. The executive director of the left-leaning West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, Boettner said job training hasn’t made up for the number of jobs lost by the coal industry. He and other economists argue that a more broad-based approach to jobs, public investment, and wages will be necessary for coal country.

Wage Gap

“You have to realize a lot of this is in the backdrop of 40 years of wage stagnation across this country and especially men in West Virginia,” Boettner said.

He said job training needs to be connected to employment that pays well because it’s difficult to go from a $75,000 a year coal mining job to one that pays $12 or $15 an hour. Boettner points to areas of opportunity, such as Appalachia’s needs for mine reclamation work which could also provide jobs for coal miners similar to the work they’ve already done.

“We have $4 to $5 billion in mine site reclamation that needs to happen,” he said. “That’s enough jobs, that’s thousands of jobs, and billions of dollars of investment right there.”

Courtesy CVI

Stream restoration work in progress on an old mining site in West Virginia.

Josh Benton is deputy secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet in Kentucky, where miners have been hurt by recent coal bankruptcies. Benton said the state has had some success retraining people to work in the healthcare industry. But the real challenge is finding jobs where that displaced worker lives.

“The challenge that we face is not necessarily are the training programs effective? It is, are there other industries, for those displaced workers to go to work,” he said.

Benton said the jobs that have been created in technology or healthcare don’t make up for the ones lost in the energy sector over the last 10 years. Wages are another concern. He said it’s a tight labor market and he tries to communicate that to employers who are looking for skilled workers, but offering low wages.

“If a manufacturer, for example, is paying an entry-level wage of $11.50 an hour, you know, if we’re aware of that, we can say that the average entry-level wage for manufacturing across the state is really $14 an hour,” he said. “So, it’s not surprising that you’re struggling to find someone because you’re paying below market value.”

Alexandra Kanik | Ohio Valley ReSource

Political Appeal

Gordon Lafer is a professor at the University of Oregon, a research associate at the Economic Policy Institute, and author of “The Job Training Charade.” Lafer argues that job training pushes a false narrative that employers aren’t hiring people because they can’t find workers with the right skills.

“I think that job training keeps being promoted because it solves a political problem both for elected officials and for employers, but it doesn’t do anything for the economics,” he said.

Lafer said the most important thing to understand about job training programs is that they don’t create new jobs. However, he argues, those programs do create a convenient narrative for politicians on both sides of the aisle.

“Job training is one of the favorite things of both Democrats and Republicans because it’s cheap, it’s symbolic,” he said. “It kind of places the blame on workers instead of employers because it suggests only if you had the right skills or the right work ethic or something then you wouldn’t be in the trouble you’re in.”

Lafer said the employment picture in the Ohio Valley is especially important because of its connection to climate change. He said talk of a “Green New Deal” and a move away from polluting industries should include a just transition for those who would lose jobs.

“It’s just not in good faith to say, one group of people is going to pay the price for saving the planet,” he said. “Either we have to say, we’re going to take care of people from age, whatever they are when they lose their jobs to when they would retire. Or there have to be other jobs that are real jobs.”

Lafer said he’s heard this public policy touted as a solution for years, but it isn’t creating employment opportunities as advertised.

“You could take on every argument, bring all the statistics and show why it doesn’t make sense. As a policy, job training feels like the undead to me,” he said. “Like you can drive a stake through its heart and it keeps coming back up.”

Different Approach

Lafer said a better approach is to train people and invest in the industries that can’t move to a different country with cheaper labor once they get to a scale where they need more employees. Some of those industries include healthcare, construction, education, and tourism.

Economist Ted Boettner said public investments in infrastructure, including expanded broadband, could help create a stable economy that works for everyone.

“Have we upgraded our antiquated grid? That’s thousands and thousands of jobs in West Virginia if we just upgrade the grid,” he said.

As automation continues to grow, and the coal industry declines, more people will be displaced. The challenge is training those workers for jobs that pay well and aren’t likely to be outsourced or automated.

October 1, 2019 Letter to the Navajo Nation

International Representative, Justin Tsosie, sent a letter to the brother and sisters of the Navajo Nation on October 1, 2019, to update them on recent events concerning the Nation and call them to action to protect all of our rights!

To read the full letter click here.

If you have any questions about the letter or about how you can get involved contact Brother Tsosie at (928) 255-7644.

Cecil Roberts: Shutting down coal will not solve climate change (Opinion)

Source: The Charleston Gazette-Mail

In a speech at the National Press Club on Sept. 4, I made the statement that there were 1,600 coal plants being built around the world. Those who were at the speech or who registered to watch it online were provided my prepared remarks, which noted that the 1,600 figure was from a 2017 study and included plants under construction and planned.

Maybe I should have been more precise in my oral remarks, because my statement has been called “mostly false” by PolitiFact and prompted an editorial by the Gazette-Mail accusing me of misleading UMWA members and somehow providing them with false hope.

That’s just bull. When I need advice from the Gazette-Mail about how to talk to coal miners, I’ll ask for it.

Don’t hold your breath.

The thrust of what I said was that, “Coal is not back. Nobody saved the coal industry.” Coal-fired power plants are closing at a rapid pace and miners are losing their jobs.

I also mentioned several other things, including how much coal is being used in the United States compared to the rest of the world (our coal consumption in 2018 was less than one-tenth of global consumption), how many coal miners there are in the world (7,000,000 globally, 52,000 in the United States) and more. None of those statements has been challenged.

Those who actually heard the speech know that it was a call to action. Nitpicking about whether the number of new coal-fired power plants under construction or on the drawing boards is 1,600 or 1,100 or 400 misses the point, which is that those who advocate shutting down the American coal industry either fail to mention or just do not understand that global carbon emissions from fossil fuels will keep growing, even if every coal-fired power plant in this country is shut down.

China, India, Vietnam, Pakistan and dozens of other countries will continue to use coal and natural gas to power their economies for at least the next 50 years, and probably longer. The only way to deal with the greenhouse gas emissions that will result is to quickly develop and deploy commercial-grade carbon capture and storage technology worldwide, including here in the United States. As I said in my speech, that’s not just me saying that. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations says the same thing.

Those who say CCS will not work or is too expensive just don’t get it. It does work, and there are plants in Canada and the United States that are doing it right now. But the fact is, we have to make it work and we have to spend whatever it takes to do it or we will not stop the global emissions that are causing climate change. Period.

I also called into question the notion of a “just transition” for workers and communities that will be affected in a move away from fossil fuels. We are talking about a cost of $1 trillion to $3 trillion to keep Appalachia and other parts of the country from spiraling into further economic despair.

I have nothing against creating good, union jobs in Appalachia that would provide similar high pay, quality health care benefits, retirement security and safe working conditions that only come with a union contract. We should have been doing that for decades. But no one can explain to me what those jobs will be and how they can guarantee they will be union jobs. Do not talk about a “just transition” until you can prove there will actually be one, and that the government will actually pay the cost of it.

So, instead of playing a numbers game, pointing fingers and saying, “gotcha,” I believe our time would be better spent working together to develop a more sustainable, robust economy in Appalachia that provides opportunity for every working family, and that includes coal miners. We need to talk specifics, not wishes.

That was my message at the National Press Club. We are ready to be part of this conversation.

Union Plus Tips: Common Mistakes Made When Selling A Home

Source: Union Plus

Your home is likely one of your most valuable assets, so avoid these common mistakes when selling your home. Avoiding these mistakes may help you save both time and money on the sale.

If you’re about to go down the road of selling your home, you’ve probably heard that it’s not for the faint of heart. Especially in a buyer’s market or during the winter months — patience, creativity and persistence will be essential tools you’ll need in order to find the right buyer.

Avoid some common mistakes by checking out this list.

Know Your Market

If you decide to go “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) — you’ll need to educate yourself on your market. The best way to do this is to subscribe to sites like Trulia and Zillow by creating profiles and then saving a search for comparable homes for sale in your area. These sites will send you any new listings that become available in your area. You should also search for homes recently sold that are comparable to your home — this will help you to gauge where your home should be priced. Look at trend reports for your area to get a sense for your market — are homes selling? Where are they selling? When are they selling? And, at what price point? You’ll notice that in some areas certain neighborhoods, price points or types of homes might be selling quicker than others. Look for these trends so that you can better position your home when you list it.

Not Getting on the MLS

Whether you’re FSBO or using a realtor, getting your home on the MLS is extremely important. Adding your listing to ancillary sites like Zillow or Trulia is also a good idea — but, typically your real estate agent will manage this for you. If you are FSBO, be sure to look at MLS listing options that include other site listings in the purchase price. Once your listings are added — be sure you have ownership over it. Log into these accounts and update your listings to include as much media (pictures/videos) and information as you can. The more the better! And, if you decide to change your price, make sure to update all sites.

Not Even Considering a Real Estate Agent

If you’re looking at the dollars and cents, you might be apprehensive about hiring a real estate agent. But, before you make a final decision consider this:

You will most likely have to pay for the buying agent out of pocket, so your listing agent would (typically) only be a 3% commission on the sales price.
Calculate 3% of your home price and think about the hours it might take away from your work or home life to market and show your home.
If you don’t have a real estate agent, you might need to pay for a lawyer to double check your contracts (which will cost some money).
Agents have access to numerous marketing tools and sites, not available to the public

If you’re ready to sell or purchase a home, check out the Union Plus Real Estate Rewards program. You could get $500 for every $100,000 in home value if you use a real estate agent approved by SIRVA.*

REAL ESTATE REWARDS – Get Cash Back When You Buy or Sell Your Home

LEARN MORE

The UMWA will join AFGE September 24, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

The UMWA will be joining American Federation of Government Employees in Washington, D.C. on September 24, 2019 to demand dignity, fairness and respect for federals and D.C. Government employees. Come join us as we support federal workers and the vital services they provide to the American public, and protect their union rights.