Archives: Press Release

This is for all Press Releases

UMWA requests immediate emergency standard from MSHA to protect miners from COVID-19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 26, 2020

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts yesterday sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health David Zatezalo, calling for the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to issue a “safeguard,” or emergency standard, which would increase protections for miners working through the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“While these are certainly difficult times for all workers, it is especially challenging for workers who are unable to work from home and have valid concerns about their health and safety and that of their loved ones,” Roberts said in the letter. “Our miners work in close proximity to one another from the time they arrive at the mine site. They get dressed, travel down the elevator together, ride in the same man trip, work in confined spaces, breathe the same air, operate the same equipment, and use the same shower facilities.”

 

Roberts noted that the coronavirus is of special concern for those miners who have impaired lung function due to Black Lung. “Many miners are also older and suffer from various underlying health conditions such as pneumoconiosis, which the UMWA believes will greatly exacerbate the severity of the symptoms related to COVID-19,” Roberts said. “These miners are considered ‘high risk’ and are often located in rural areas that do not provide the same access to health care centers as workers in urban areas,” Roberts said. “This makes miners one of the most vulnerable populations for the virus.”

 

Roberts asked that MSHA “immediately issue safeguard/emergency standards to protect the most valuable resource in the mine – — the miner. The UMWA stands ready to work with MSHA, the mining industry, and our members to find ways to protect miners in these unprecedented times. Miners are a resilient people and have overcome many challenges throughout time. This will be yet another situation where we will overcome, protecting our miners, their families, their communities, and allow them to continue to provide these valuable resources when our nation needs them most.”

 

Roberts’ letter to Zatezalo can be viewed here.

 

###

Congress Must Put Workers First, Not Corporate Executives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 22, 2020

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“The United Mine Workers of America was founded on a simple principle: ‘An injury to one is an injury to all.’ Today, the UMWA stands with our sisters and brothers in the aviation industry in opposition to the no-strings-attached corporate bailout proposed in the U.S. Senate.

“Taxpayer funds for the airlines should be used to keep workers on payroll, not to pad the pockets of CEOs and shareholders. Rural Americans cannot afford for the airlines to cut service to preserve cash during this national emergency, or to go bankrupt in the long term. We need a functioning aviation industry to provide us with medical supplies, the U.S. Mail, prescription drugs and other necessities.

“The aviation industry cannot survive without its workers. Keeping flight attendants, pilots, mechanics, and airport service workers on the payroll and connected to their health care should be Congress’ priority, not creating yet more sweetheart deals for CEOs. Congress only has one shot at this, it must get it right.”

###​

UMWA mourns miner killed in West Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 24, 2019

 

UMWA mourns miner killed in West Virginia

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

 

“The hearts and prayers of the entire UMWA are with the family of Raymond L. Starkey, 21, who was fatally injured at the Murray Energy Marshall County mine near Moundsville, West Virginia, last night.

 

“Our safety experts are on the scene, working with the UMWA Local Union 1638 Safety Committee, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training, and the company to determine exactly what happened.

 

“We will not rest until we know the circumstances of Brother Starkey’s death, so that we can prevent something like this from ever happening again. I ask every mining family, indeed every American family, to lift up the Starkey family in your prayers this holiday season.”

 

###

UMWA applauds Fayette County, PA’s 2020 budget which includes the building of a new county prison

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 23, 2019

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today regarding the Fayette County Commissioners’ decision to include funding for a new county prison to be completed in the next two years.

 

“This is a long time coming. Our members need the safety and security from a building that isn’t over a hundred years old. The current facility is not only dangerous and inhumane for the correction officers who work there, but for the entire community.

 

“We have been fighting for years to get this done and we are thrilled to see that appropriate action will be taken to secure the health and safety of our members, as they protect Fayette County.

 

“I would like to say thank you to the Fayette County Commissioners and we look forward working with them to maintain safety for the Fayette County community.”

Miners’ pension and retiree health care language included in appropriations legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“The inclusion of Bipartisan American Miners Act in the appropriations legislation to be considered by Congress this week is a tremendous victory for tens of thousands of retired miners, their families and their communities.

“We are close, but the fight is not yet over. The House will vote on this tomorrow, and the Senate will vote later in the week. We will continue our efforts to ensure that this language stays in the legislation throughout the process, because there are still those who oppose allowing retirees from living out their days with the measure of comfort and dignity that they have earned.

“I especially want to thank the thousands of UMWA members who have written the letters, made the phone calls, gone to the rallies, and walked the halls of Congress to keep this issue front and center. We would not be at this point without their efforts.

“I want to thank Congressional leadership for agreeing to include this language in the funding bills. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been a stalwart supporter throughout this fight, meeting with our members from across America over and over again. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s support this past month proved to be critical. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer kept our issue at the top of his agenda for years. We will never forget their support.

“Our three champions on both sides of Capitol Hill fought hard against sometimes long odds to get us to this day: Senator Joe Manchin (D – W.Va.) Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Representative David McKinley (R-W.Va.). They never quit, they never turned around, they never stopped working side by side with us to get this done.

“I also want to thank Senators Sherrod Brown (D) and Rob Portman (R) of Ohio, Senator Bob Casey (D) of Pennsylvania, Senators Mark Warner (D) and Tim Kaine (D) of Virginia, Senator Doug Jones (D) of Alabama and Senators Dick Durbin (D) and Tammy Duckworth (D) of Illinois.

“Our strong bipartisan coalition in the House included Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Rep. Mike Bost, (R-Ill.), Rep Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.), Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), Rep Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Oh.), Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Oh.), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Oh.), Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Oh.), Rep. Jamie Comer (R-Ky.), Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.), Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Az.), Rep. Paul Cook (R-Cal.) and many, many others.

“The end of our 10-year battle to preserve the pensions and health care our retirees earned in sweat and blood is in sight. Let’s get this done in Congress, and put it on President Trump’s desk for his signature.”

###

 

Click here to watch a video update from President Roberts.

Grassley-Alexander multi-employer pension plan proposal not the answer for retired miners and widows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 29, 2019

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today regarding the proposal by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Ia.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) addressing the multi-employer pension plan crisis:

“This proposal provides everything those who advocate against working families have ever wished for. It penalizes workers for joining unions, it penalizes retirees for sticking with those unions, it penalizes employers for recognizing unions and it penalizes unions themselves for successfully representing their members.

“This is not a starting point for negotiations. It is a multi-billion dollar tax increase on working families – especially retired Americans living on fixed incomes – their employers and their unions. Retirees covered by the UMWA Pension Fund, for example, would be subject to a 10 percent tax on pensions that average a little under $600 per month.

“This proposal does not begin to address the immediate crisis UMWA retirees and their families are confronting. Fortunately, the Bipartisan American Miners Act –by Senator Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and a dozen bipartisan Senate cosponsors – does address that crisis, using an existing source of funding that requires no new bureaucracy and most importantly, no new taxes on working families.

“Retired miners, their families and widows do not have the luxury of waiting to see if Congress can eventually come up with a comprehensive solution to the multi-employer pension crisis that treats retirees fairly. 1,200 stand to lose their health care at the end of this year, 12,000 more will lose health care within a few short months, and more than 82,000 will likely see drastic cuts to their pensions a few months after that.

“We continue to strongly urge House and Senate leadership – all of whom say they want to address the immediate crisis retired miners face – to put partisanship aside and pass the Bipartisan American Miners Act. These senior citizens, who provided the fuel to power America at great risk of life and limb, need action now. Let’s get this done.

###

UMWA commends new legislation in Senate to support retired miners and widows

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

 

“I am greatly appreciative of the legislation filed today in the United States Senate, the Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019, sponsored by Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The bill has 12 original cosponsors, Senators Sherrod Brown (D) and Rob Portman (R) of Ohio, Senators Mark Warner (D) and Tim Kaine (D) of Virginia, Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Senators Dick Durbin (D) and Tammy Duckworth (D) of Illinois, Senator Doug Jones (D-Al.) and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Az.).

 

“This legislation will not only preserve the pensions for more than 92,000 current and future retirees, it will ensure that the health care of nearly 12,000 retirees who will lose that care as a result of the bankruptcy of Murray Energy, and 1,200 from Westmoreland Coal and Mission Coal, which went bankrupt last year. With this one bill, the United States Senate has taken a giant, bipartisan step forward in keeping America’s promise to our coal miners and their families.

 

“I am especially thankful for Leader McConnell’s support of this legislation. His voice on behalf of retired miners is critical, and I want to thank him on behalf of every retired miner in America. Senators Manchin and Capito have provided consistently strong leadership for years on this issue, and have never wavered in this struggle. Senator Brown, Senator Portman, Senator Casey, Senator Warner and Senator Kaine have been with us every step of the way.

 

“It has taken us more than nine years to get to this point. Let us get this legislation passed as soon possible, and finally provide some peace of mind to these retired American heroes.”​

UMWA statement on Murray Energy Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 29, 2019

 

UMWA statement on Murray Energy Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

 

“Today’s filing by Murray Energy for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization comes as no surprise. This day has been coming for some time.

“Coal production in this country continues to decline, due to the glut of natural gas on the market and continued government preference for gas and renewable energy to replace coal-fired power generation. Combined with a recent severe reduction in coal exports, these factors delivered a one-two punch that an over-extended Murray Energy could not withstand.

“Now comes the part where workers and their families pay the price for corporate decision-making and governmental actions. Murray will file a motion in bankruptcy court to throw out its collective bargaining agreement with the union. It will seek to be relieved of its obligations to retirees, their dependents and widows. We have seen this sad act too many times before.

“But that does not mean we will sit idly by and let the company and the court dictate what happens to our members and our retirees. We have high-powered legal, financial and communications teams in place that will fight to protect our members’ interests in the bankruptcy court.

“This is also the final shoe to drop in the battle to preserve retired miners’ health care and pensions. We have been warning Congress for more than a year that this day was coming. Let this finally be the catalyst that spurs action this year on Capitol Hill. There truly is no more time to wait.

“I want our active members to know that this filing changes nothing as far as the current terms and conditions of employment. The collective bargaining agreement continues in full force until the bankruptcy court orders changes to it. Our retirees should understand that their health care will continue to be paid, at least until the bankruptcy process is completed. We continue our work in Congress to secure their health care and pensions.”

 

###

House Natural Resources Committee advances miners’ pension and retiree health care bills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2019

(WASHINGTON, DC) The House Natural Resources Committee today passed HR 934, the Health Benefits For Miners Act, and HR 935, the Miners Pension Protection Act, by unanimous voice votes. The committee action clears the way for these critical bills to be voted on by the full House of Representatives.

“This is a tremendous first step for our retirees whose pensions and health care are under threat,” United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “We have been fighting to move this pension legislation forward for nearly a decade in the House. Today’s vote is the culmination of a lot of hard work and action by our members and our allies on Capitol Hill.

“I want to thank the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), the Ranking Member, Rob Bishop (R-UT) and all the members of the Committee who supported this legislation today,” Roberts said. “I also want to thank the sponsors of these bills, Rep. David McKinley (R-WV, HR 935) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA, HR 934) and the bi-partisan House members who have co-sponsored them.”

Action on the floor of the House needs to occur as soon as possible so that the legislation can be sent to the Senate and acted upon this year. Failure by the full Congress to pass HR 934 will cause 1,200 retirees to lose their health care at the end of this year. The pensions of 82,000 current and 10,000 future retirees could be slashed within months if HR 935 is not passed this year.

“I urge the House to act fast to pass these bills and get them over to the Senate,” Roberts said. “Congress has waited too long to take action to help retired miners and time has now run out. These retirees cannot wait any longer.”

###

Live Stream Available for National Press Club Event with President Roberts

MEDIA ADVISORY

September 3, 2019

 

Mine Workers Pres. Cecil Roberts Address and News Conference National Press Club Wed., Sept. 4, 10 a.m. Eastern Will Discuss Future of Coal, Jobs, Pensions, Climate Change, the Green New Deal and the 2020 Presidential Campaigns

 

WASHINGTON — On the Wednesday after Labor Day, Sept. 4, at a 10 a.m. ET at a National Press Club Headliners Newsmaker, the International President of the United Mine Workers of America, Cecil Roberts, will discuss the future of the coal industry and the jobs outlook for coal producing regions if climate change legislation and initiatives such as “The Green New Deal,” “Keep it in the Ground,” or Michael Bloomberg’s campaign to close every coal-fired power plant in the United States are implemented. With the passage of a carbon tax, for example, according to a UMWA analysis, some two million direct jobs in 14 energy-intensive industries would be at immediate risk, along with seven million indirect jobs.

Roberts also is expected to discuss energy and coal issues and how they will effect the 2020 election. The UMWA has reached out to the Democratic presidential candidates with advice on initiatives that could help decarbonize U.S. fossil fuel energy production while preserving jobs and has invited each of the campaigns to visit a coal mine. The UMWA leader has been critical of a lack of details on how a transition from coal power to alternative fuels would be made and provisions for workers currently employed in coal and oil production.

Additionally, the UMWA president, who also serves as a vice president of the AFL-CIO, will talk about pending legislation to help troubled multiemployer pension funds. Absent congressional action, the UMWA multiemployer pension fund is expected to become insolvent by 2023 at the latest, the first of several major pension funds to do so.

The Headliners Newsmaker news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m., Sept. 4, in the National Press Club’s First Amendment Lounge.

Please RSVP to Amy Shenker at askpr2011@gmail.com if you plan to cover the event via live stream and to receive instructions for the link and background materials in advance of the event. Following registration, reporters also will be provided with information on how to submit questions prior to and during the news event. News organizations wishing to simulcast also are free to do so, but should register intent with the UMWA via Amy Shenker.

The National Press Club is located on the 13th Floor of the National Press Building at 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C. This event is open to credentialed media and club members in the Washington area free of charge, with advance registration required. Please click here to register.