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UMWA, Murray Energy reach tentative collective bargaining agreement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 2, 2020

 

[Triangle, Va.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) today announced that it has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the bankrupt Murray Energy. If ratified, the anticipated new owners of the company have agreed to recognize the terms and conditions of the tentative agreement.

 

“This tentative agreement comes at a difficult time not just for the coal industry but for our nation and our planet,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said.

 

“Mines are either idled or only producing a limited amount of coal. Too many of our members are either laid off or not working full time. The coronavirus and the growing recession is dramatically reducing energy consumption and the demand for coal.

 

“That will hopefully change as the weather heats up,” Roberts said. “But the bankruptcy clock is still ticking, and we are very close to the time when the Court will order ownership of this company to change hands. It is critical for our members that there be an agreement in place when that happens.”

 

Details of the tentative agreement will not be released until after the UMWA members working at Murray Energy have an opportunity to review its terms and conditions and hold a ratification vote.

 

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting social distancing orders in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, it is not possible to hold traditional contract explanation meetings. UMWA members will be informed of the details of this tentative agreement via electronic media and mail.

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UMWA mourns BCTGM President David Durkee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 31, 2020

[TRIANGLE, VA.] ​United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today, mourning the passing of BCTGM International Union President David B. Durkee:

“David Durkee was one of my heroes in the labor movement. He fought like a lion on behalf of his members, unafraid to take on giant international corporations with courage, conviction and determination to preserve their jobs, their pensions and their communities. His ability to analyze complex problems and develop innovative solutions was an inspiration not just to me, but to all who worked with him.

“Brother Durkee and his BCTGM members were among 13,000 of us in Columbus, Ohio in the summer of 2018 as we rallied to fix America’s pension crisis. His strong activism for preserving pensions of current and future retirees — not just from his union, but from all unions — remains one of the labor movement’s guiding lights as we continue that battle.

“David was also my friend, and I will miss him terribly. The hearts and prayers of the entire UMWA family are with our brothers and sisters in the BCTGM and with Brother Durkee’s family at this most difficult time.”

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UMWA recognizes Vietnam War Veterans Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 27, 2020

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] March 29 was established in 2017 by Congress as National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a day to remember and honor the more than 2.7 million service men and women who served in Vietnam during that conflict, and especially the 58,148 who were killed.

 

United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

 

“As a Vietnam veteran myself, I know first-hand the pride and honor of serving my country in that war and the unrest and heartache that Vietnam veterans experienced upon their return home. The men and women, who sacrificed so much to defend the principles of our nation during the Vietnam War, never got a parade or a formal welcoming home ceremony.

 

“They were not hailed as heroes for serving in Southeast Asia, as other returning military veterans were in past wars. But it is never too late to honor their service. It is never too late to welcome them home. And it is certainly never too late to show respect to these veterans as a citizen of a grateful nation.

 

“I have been honored to be able to participate in West Virginia’s recognition of Vietnam War Veterans Day, which is annually held on March 30, and I am saddened that commemoration had to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 outbreak. I salute my good friend Dave Simmons, the President of the West Virginia State Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He does an outstanding job for all of us.

 

“The UMWA will never forget our veterans, no matter where or when they served. We say to all veterans: Thank you for your service and welcome home.”

 

To see the video the UMWA produced in honor of Vietnam War Veterans Day, click here.

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UMWA endorses Capito, McKinley for reelection

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 26, 2020

 

[CHARLESTON, W.V.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) National Council of COMPAC, the union’s political action committee, today announced that it has endorsed Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R) for reelection to the United States Senate and Representative David McKinley (R) for re-election in the West Virginia First Congressional District.

 

“Senator Capito was our leader on the Republican side of the Senate in our fight to preserve miners’ pensions and retirees’ health care,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “From the day she stepped into the Senate, she has been fighting alongside us for those pensions and health care benefits.

 

“She has also worked with us to promote the development and deployment of technology that would eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants, so that today’s coal miners can keep working, provide for their families and build their communities,” Roberts said. “That is critical work for our union and our nation, and we need her voice in the Senate to continue that effort.

 

McKinley was the lead sponsor in the House of Representatives of the legislation to preserve miners’ pensions and retirees’ health care since 2013. “Congressman McKinley was – and is – a strong voice for working and retired miners in the House,” Roberts said. “He never wavered, he never backed away from us or our members during this long struggle, and we appreciate that very much.”

 

The UMWA’s West Virginia State Council of COMPAC endorsed a slate of candidates for statewide and state legislative offices in the primary as well. The full list of endorsed candidates can be found at https://umwa.org/policy-politics/compac-endorsements/

 

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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.

 

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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.”

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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.”

 

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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.”

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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.

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