FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 26, 2021
UMWA mourns 51 killed in Russian mine
[TRIANGLE, VA.] In the aftermath of the terrible explosion that killed 51 miners and rescuers in Siberia, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“The hearts and prayers of the entire UMWA family are with the families of those Russian miners and rescuers who were killed yesterday in a horrific methane explosion. No miner, anywhere in the world, should have to worry about whether or not they will be coming home at the end of their shift. But it appears that was exactly what these miners confronted.
“It is beyond tragic that these men died in a mine that had a history of safety violations yet received little more than a slap on the wrist from Russian authorities. It does not matter if it is Russia, China, India or the United States: Mine operators who routinely put workers at risk should be punished to the full extent of the law.
“That punishment will not bring these miners back and it will not end the pain their families will always feel. But if those who allowed this tragedy to occur are not held responsible for their actions, something like this will happen over and over again. For the sake of the thousands of miners who still toil in dangerous conditions in Russia, accountability must come.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 12, 2021
UMWA applauds nomination of Chris Williamson to MSHA
[TRIANGLE, VA.] Commenting on the nomination of Chris Williamson to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International
President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“Chris Williamson is the most knowledgeable expert on mine safety and health in Washington today. His in-depth understanding of what it takes to keep miners safer and healthier at work is unmatched, and I expect that the Mine Safety and Health Administration will be a stronger advocate for miners under his watch.
“Chris comes from a mining background in West Virginia. Making sure that miners come home safely to their families each and every day is part of his very being.
President Biden has made an excellent choice in tapping Chris to be Assistant Secretary, and I urge the Senate to confirm his nomination as soon as possible. America’s miners need a tough watchdog and they need him now.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2021
Alabama Judge issues unconstitutional order at Warrior Met strike
[MCCALLA, ALA.] Reacting to a temporary restraining order issued by Judge James H. Roberts, Jr. of the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County that restricts the constitutional rights of speech and assembly, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“The temporary restraining order (TRO) issued yesterday by Judge Roberts continues the State of Alabama’s assault on the rights and freedoms of working families that has been the government’s hallmark during this strike. It contains provisions that are unconstitutional and it reinforces the notion that Americans – at least in Alabama – are not free to enjoy their rights to free speech and free assembly.
“The Constitution of the United States protects American citizens’ rights to stand on the side of a road and call a scab a scab. It protects their rights to peacefully assemble and air their grievances with an employer or any other person or entity. It protects their rights to seek redress from government. We intend to continue to exercise our rights.
“I believe it is important for the public to understand what is going on in the strike area and how we got to this point.
“Consider for a moment that the Wall Street bankers who are calling the shots at Warrior Met took $1.4 billion in workers’ concessions out of Alabama communities and sent it up to New York to line their pockets. And then sucked another $750 million from the company’s revenues almost immediately after Warrior Met emerged from bankruptcy. That’s more than $2 billion that could have stayed in Alabama helping our communities, but went to the glittering skyscrapers in Manhattan instead.
“Consider also that for the last several months, Alabama State Police have been working on the public’s dime to escort out-of-state strikebreakers who have been brought in to take Alabama taxpayers’ jobs. Where is the sense in that? We have seen no protest or investigation by our state’s leaders about this clear misuse of taxpayer dollars.
“Instead of spending time and money on ever-rising legal fees in court, Warrior Met would be much better served to accept my still-standing offer of direct, high-level negotiations to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.
“Let me be clear: We remain ready to engage in serious and good-faith negotiations to resolve this dispute, but this TRO will not stop our strike. We are far stronger than the mere location of our picket lines.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 19, 2021
UMWA strongly supports Freedom to Vote Act
[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“It is critical for the future of our democracy that Congress pass the Freedom to Vote Act as soon as possible. Even though there has never been any credible evidence that anything is wrong with our election system, too many states are taking steps to strip away the right to vote from our fellow citizens. Congress must step in to defend it.
“When states make it harder for minorities and senior citizens to vote, that is wrong. When states restrict the ability to cast mail ballots, they threaten the rights of active-duty military personnel. When states make rules that enable one political party to throw out election results simply because it doesn’t like them, that starts us down the path to tyranny. Yet that is what we are seeing happen in state after state.
“These actions by state legislatures around the nation destroy the notion of free and fair elections that generations of Americans have fought to protect and threaten to further divide and weaken our nation. It is healthy in a democracy for citizens to have different political points of view. It will destroy that democracy if we build up those differences to the point where we allow politicians to manipulate our right to vote and how we count the results.
“These anti-American state laws cannot stand, and I urge the Senate to take all steps needed to pass the Freedom to Vote Act tomorrow – including modifying the filibuster rules if that is what it takes. The long-term threat to our fragile democracy is too great to do anything else.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
UMWA members overwhelmingly ratify contract at Peabody’s Shoal Creek mine in Alabama
[MCCALLA, AL.] Members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local Union 1948 yesterday ratified a new collective bargaining agreement at the Shoal Creek metallurgical coal mine in Alabama by a 63%-37% margin. The mine, operated by Peabody Energy, has been idled since October 4, 2020.
“I congratulate the membership of Local Union 1948,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “This ratification will pave the way for the reopening of this mine and means several hundred of our members who have been out of work for almost a year will be heading back to work very soon. I also commend the bargaining team who worked very hard to reach this agreement: International Secretary-Treasurer Brian Sanson, International District 20 Vice President Larry Spencer and District 20 Representative James Blankenship.
“This will provide an economic boost not just for our members and their families, but also to the communities where they live,” Roberts said. “And it provides a roadmap to settling the six-month strike at Warrior Met Coal in the same region.
“We now have two similar collective bargaining agreements in the coalfields of Alabama, at the Shoal Creek and Oak Grove mines,” Roberts said. “It’s time for Warrior Met to step up and reach this kind of fair and reasonable agreement with its workers. I remain ready to negotiate with Warrior Met day and night to reach that agreement and get everyone in Alabama back to work.”
The new Shoal Creek agreement includes an hourly wage increase and health care provisions consistent with the UMWA’s national coal agreement. There will also be a $5,000 ratification bonus paid to all union members. The agreement expires December 31, 2024.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
UMWA reaches tentative agreement with Peabody Energy at Shoal Creek mine in Alabama
[TRIANGLE, VA.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) announced today that it has reached a tentative agreement with Peabody Energy at the company’s Shoal Creek mine in Alabama.
The mine has been closed since October 2020.
“We expect that if ratified, this agreement will allow the Shoal Creek mine to be reopened very soon,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said.
“We will take this tentative contract to the membership at Shoal Creek for their final say.
“The explanation to the membership and ratification vote will take place next week.”
This tentative agreement does not affect the ongoing unfair labor practice strike by the UMWA at Warrior Met Coal.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 25, 2021
“Open season on strikers in NLRB Region 10”
[MCCALLA, ALA.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) announced today that it will appeal the dismissal by National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region 10 of several unfair labor practice charges relating to vehicular assault by Warrior Met Coal management personnel. The NLRB said there was “insufficient evidence that any pickets were struck” despite both video evidence and eyewitness testimony.
“The NLRB is asking us to disbelieve our own eyes,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “Video of two of these assaults has been widely distributed by the media. I personally witnessed another one that occurred right in front of me. Additionally, we have testimony from eyewitnesses to two other assaults. This is an outrageous decision by NLRB Region 10, and we will fight it every step of the way.”
“To date, there has been no action taken by the Alabama State Police, the Tuscaloosa or Jefferson County Sherriff’s Departments or the City of Brookwood, all of who have some varying level of jurisdiction regarding these assaults,” Roberts said. “Now the federal agency charged with ensuring the right to peacefully strike has refused to act as well.
“It appears that it is now open season on strikers walking the picket lines anywhere in NLRB Region 10,” Roberts said. “Management and scabs can target them with their vehicles and our government refuses to protect them. We are forced to ask if there is no justice for workers in Alabama?”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 23, 2021
NLRB finds merit in unfair labor practices charges against Warrior Met
[MCCALLA, ALA.] The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Regional 10 Director has found merit in unfair labor practice charges the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) filed regarding Warrior Met Coal’s bad faith bargaining and its failure to provide the Union with information that the Company is obligated to provide in contract negotiations.
The NLRB notified Warrior Met on August 13, 2021 that it was prepared to issue a complaint if Warrior Met would not enter into a Settlement Agreement in which it agreed to cease and desist from this unlawful conduct.
“This is welcome news, but is no great surprise,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said today. “We have seen this company act in ways contrary to American labor law from the outset of this strike. We have filed multiple unfair labor practice charges in addition to those related to not bargaining in good faith.
“They have targeted our members and their families on the picket lines with vehicular assault and more,” Roberts said. “We will see where we go from here. We continue to call on the company to get serious about reaching an agreement that is fair and reasonable for both sides. As we wait, we continue our unfair labor practice strike.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 20, 2021
UMWA congratulates Liz Shuler, new President of the AFL-CIO
[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“The AFL-CIO Executive Council made history today by naming Elizabeth (Liz) Shuler as president of the federation. Finally, a woman has become the American labor movement’s leader! On behalf of the members of the UMWA, I congratulate her.
“This is a bittersweet moment for me and the UMWA, as this vote came after the loss of my friend and UMWA President Emeritus Rich Trumka. But I know that Rich is looking down at us with a smile today, for Liz will carry us forward on the path he began that will strengthen our movement and bring millions more workers into the better life and better jobs that a union contract provides.
“The future can be a bright one for America’s unions and especially the workers we represent. I have confidence that Liz and my friend Fred Redmond, who was elected as the new AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer, are prepared to fulfill that promise, and we will do everything we can to help her do that.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 19, 2021
UMWA mourns the loss of Joe Powell
[CHARLESTON, W.VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend and brother Joe Powell, the former President of the West Virginia AFL-CIO. During his 23 years serving working families in that position, I had the opportunity to work with him on many issues, and he was always a stalwart supporter of the UMWA and every other union in West Virginia and across the nation.
“Joe served his country in World War II, he served his fellow workers for decades, he served the people of West Virginia on the West Virginia University Board of Trustees, but he was most especially proud of his family. We grieve with them at this time. The entire UMWA family sends our condolences to his wife, Nora, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
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