[ILION, N.Y.] On Friday, October 23, 2020, Remington Outdoor Company told its employees that it was terminating the employment of 585 workers at its Ilion, N.Y. plant effective October 26, 2020 and was cutting off all their health care and other contractual benefits on October 31.Further, the company is refusing to pay severance and accrued vacation benefits, as it is obligated to do under its collective bargaining agreement with the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA).
UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today regarding this treacherous act by the company:
“This outrageous action by Remington Outdoor company is a slap in the face to the employees who built that company into the best firearms manufacturer in the world. UMWA Local Union 717 has already filed a series of grievances under our collective bargaining agreement, and the UMWA International Union is exploring further legal action.
“Our members at Local Union 717, their families and their communities have been on an emotional roller-coaster the last several months. First the company filed for bankruptcy and it looked like the Ilion plant would close for good. Then the union was successful in encouraging a potential buyer to keep jobs in Ilion, and that buyer was able to purchase the plant in the bankruptcy process.
“We are now working with the new company to get the plant reopened and start putting our members back to work. But the old, failed Remington had one more kick in the pants for our members.
“If they think they can get away with this without a fight from the UMWA they had better think again. Our members in Local Union 717 earned those benefits. We are going to do everything we can to ensure that they get them, and then continue working to get the plant reopened under new ownership as soon as possible.”
The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and Energy Futures Initiative came together today to applaud California’s CCS study.
UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said, in regards to the study that, “this report makes abundantly clear the broad role that CCUS technology will play in the future of the American economy. This will help ensure that thousands of the next generation of coal miners and other traditional energy workers will have family- and community-sustaining jobs.”
On behalf of the active and retired members of the United Mine Workers of America, I urge you to pass legislation that restores the Payroll Support Program to maintain and restore airline industry jobs.
The UMWA supports the passage of a larger bill that provides the relief all Americans desperately need as this pandemic continues. But while discussions on such legislation continue, Congress must grasp the opportunity to provide the relief hundreds of thousands of airline workers need right now. Just because we cannot provide all workers the help they need at this moment should not mean that we will deny relief to airline workers, especially when both parties agree it should be done.
There is legislation before the House right now that will reverse the furloughs that are already happening and prevent the further avalanche of lost airline jobs that is coming in the next few days. I urge you to demand that this legislation be taken up in the House without delay, pass it and send it to the Senate.
Thank you for you attention to this matter. If you have any questions or concerns about this please do not hesitate to contact the UMWA’s Legislative Director, Phil Smith, at psmith@umwa.org
The entire UMWA family mourns the passing of not only a leader and dedicated member of the union, but a friend, a confidant, a veteran, father and husband. Brother Larry Knisell passed away Monday, September 28, 2020.
Brother Knisell was a former District Representative and a member of Local Union 1570 in District 31. He was an avid UMWA supporter and member of our Pensioner Leadership Committee.
We could always count on him to fight for the members of the UMWA. He was even willing to sacrifice his freedom in 2013 , when he was arrested in the streets of St. Louis fighting for the pensions and health care of retiree UMWA miners.
Larry was also a proud United States Navy and Vietnam veteran serving on the USS Joseph Strauss.
Our hearts and prayers go out to the Knisell family. He will be sadly missed.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Larry’s name to Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250, or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN. 38105.
Brother Larry Knisell sitting with UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts and other members of the UMWA International Executive Board on the streets of St. Louis at the 2013 UMWA Pension Rally.Brother Larry Knisell being arrested in St. Louis after rallying to preserve health care and pensions for retired coal miners and their families.District 2 Vice President Chuck Knisell being sworn in by his father, Brother Larry Knisell, at the 2018 UMWA Inauguration in Morgantown, West Virginia.
[TRIANGLE, VA.] As the Remington Arms bankruptcy sale process heads to completion in Alabama, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“Publicly available documents filed over the weekend with the Bankruptcy Court indicate that there could be a successful bidder for certain assets of Remington that would include the Ilion, N.Y., plant, and that bidder would agree to keep the plant open. This is, of course, subject to a final decision by the Court.
“Our goal throughout this process has always been to keep that plant open and our members working. That appears to be on track, at least to this point. The UMWA has been in talks with that bidder about our collective bargaining agreement at the Ilion plant and we will be talking with them further in the coming days should their bid be accepted by the Court tomorrow.
“We do not yet know what the final outcome of the Court proceedings will be, nor do we know what the final outcome of our talks with a successful bidder will be. But this is another step in the process, and I believe it to be a positive one for our members.”
[TRIANGLE, VA.] As the bankruptcy process at Remington Arms nears its completion, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International Union President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“Remington Arms has employed thousands of American workers and created economic prosperity in central New York for almost 200 years. The company’s plant in Ilion, N.Y., still provides more than 700 of the best jobs in America. The UMWA is proud to represent those workers and the communities where they live.
“As the Bankruptcy Court in Alabama makes a final decision about who will own this company moving forward, the UMWA strongly encourages the Judge to take into consideration the need to keep these good jobs in New York, and in the United States. We are very concerned that a new owner could close the Ilion plant and move production overseas. That would be devastating to the central New York economy and further erode American workers’ jobs.
“Americans have seen far too many of their jobs shipped out of the country, we do not want that to happen here yet again. We are watching this very closely, and hope that the Remington facilities are sold to someone who will keep the Ilion plant open and operating in the United States.”
[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“After nearly a year, the Murray Energy bankruptcy proceedings are finally over with the closing of the transaction shifting all the company’s assets to American Consolidated Natural Resources, Inc. (ACNR). As per the agreement ACNR signed and that was ratified by the UMWA membership in May, all UMWA members who formerly worked for Murray Energy have been hired by the new company and are working.
“As spelled out in the agreement, today becomes the effective date of the new collective bargaining agreement between the UMWA, ACNR and its subsidiary companies.
“I commend the officers and membership of our Local Unions at ACNR operations for their perseverance and patience through this proceeding. It has not been an easy time for them, especially during this coronavirus pandemic. There is much to be concerned about for those of us associated with and working in the coal industry during these troubling times, but it is good that this process has finally been completed and our members can put the uncertainty of the bankruptcy behind them.”
Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, military news outlet Task and Purpose reported that Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie dismissed confirmed delays in VA prescription medication delivery due to Trump administration changes to the Postal Service. In response to those comments, President of the Mine Workers of America, Union Veterans Council Chair, and Vietnam War Veteran Cecil E. Roberts, released the following statement today:
“One thing they teach us in the military is to call BS when we see it, and Secretary Wilkie is full of it. Wilkie’s own staff at the VA already confirmed what we have heard from veterans across the country: Trump administration changes to the Postal Service have caused up to a 25 percent delay in prescription deliveries. Veterans rely on these prescriptions to cope with injuries and ailments they incurred while serving our country. For some, receiving their prescriptions on time is a matter of life or death.
“First, it is outrageous that the Postal Service has taken such aggressive actions to cause this problem. Secondly, it is a dereliction of duty for the VA Secretary to attempt to cover it up.
“No matter what else happens in this politics-first, people-second administration, veterans and their families still expect the VA Secretary to be straight with them. It’s beneath the service to play politics with the health and safety of millions of veterans. Secretary Wilkie should correct himself, apologize immediately and demand that the Postal Service reverse the actions it took to cause this life-or-death problem.”
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The Union Veterans Council brings working-class veterans together to speak out on the issues that impact us most, especially the need for good jobs and a strong, fully funded and staffed VA. Additionally, we hold private enterprise and elected officials accountable for their words and actions. We believe wholeheartedly that the ability for someone to self-identify as “pro-veteran” isn’t determined by what lapel pin they don or what catchphrase they employ; veterans face real issues that require real actions—constructive actions that lead to positive solutions. At the Union Veterans Council, we fight every day for those who have fought for us.
[TRIANGLE, VA.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) announced today that its members working at Contura Energy’s Cumberland Mine in Greene County, Pa., ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement, which will become effective immediately. UMWA members at five Contura coal processing plants in southern West Virginia also ratified a new agreement.
The new agreements contain no cuts to wages and benefits, and provide additional job protections for members working at the Cumberland mine.
“These are not easy times to be working in the coal industry,” UMWA International President Cecil Roberts said. “The extended coronavirus pandemic has caused the thermal coal market to crash, and the longer it goes the worse it is likely to get. Production in northern Appalachia has dropped by almost 30 percent from a year ago and now stands at a 25-year low.
“Our members have been slammed with production cuts and loss of hours while doing all they can to keep themselves and their families safe from COVID-19. Working through this pandemic has been stressful for everyone, but our membership continues to hold together and look out for each other.
“I commend our bargaining team at Contura, led by Secretary-Treasurer Levi Allen, for hammering out tentative agreements that do not have wage or benefit reductions and,” Roberts said. “That is an extraordinary achievement in a time when the coal industry is in free-fall and nonunion miners are seeing significant cuts to their wages and benefits. And I commend the membership at these operations for recognizing that and voting to ratify these agreements.”
[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
The entire Leach family was an inspiration to me and the thousands of UMWA members who marched and rallied across America to preserve health care and pensions for retired coal miners and their families. They were even arrested at the foot of Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. as a demonstration of their commitment to this cause.
Chris Leach was a strong and passionate advocate for his health care, and because of his efforts, and his voice, he was able to live his entire life with the protection of UMWA health care. We all owe Chris a debt of thanks and gratitude for his determination to win the battle for everyone’s health care and pensions.
Chris was my friend, and I will miss him terribly. But I know that he walks with the angels today, and that makes my heart glad.
