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UMWA Career Centers Receives $750,000 in Foundation Funding to Train Dislocated Miners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 20, 2023

 

UMWA Career Centers Receives $750,000 in Foundation Funding to Train Dislocated Miners

[RUFF CREEK, PA.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) announced today that the UMWA Career Centers, Inc. (UMWACC), has received commitments from several foundations that will unlock a federal Build Back Better grant enabling the UMWACC to recruit and train more than 500 dislocated miners and others in southwestern Pennsylvania for jobs in the robotics industry.

“This is a critical first step in rebuilding coalfield communities by providing training for those who have been impacted by the closure of coal mines,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “This training can provide a pathway to high-quality jobs and a career in a new and growing industry, and can replace the income and benefits miners and their families lost over the last several years when their mines closed.

“This would not have happened without the active support of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm,” Roberts said. “She committed to working with us to help provide resources for the UMWACC facility in Ruff Creek and never wavered in that commitment. I also want to thank Assistant to the President John Podesta, who worked tirelessly to get this over the finish line.

“We appreciate very much the commitments made by the Heinz Endowments, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the Just Transition Fund and the Climate Jobs National Resource Center to provide $750,000 in matching funds to the UMWACC,” Roberts said. “These matching funds unlock $2.9 million in federal funding over the next three years for this training, and it could not come at a more critical time.  

“I also want to thank Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) for his commitment to the UMWACC,” Roberts said. “He has worked for years to ensure that the Career Centers continues to be the premier training center for dislocated miners and their families in the United States.”

“There remains an incredible amount of work to do to meet the need for good-paying union jobs for those who have been and will be impacted by the ongoing energy transition,” Roberts said. “We appreciate all those who contributed to making this happen today, but we cannot forget that we have by no means come close to addressing the larger issues here.”

The UMWACC was established in 1996 and has trained more than 19,000 dislocated miners and spouses, placing them into careers ranging from health care to heavy equipment operators to engineering. Changes in the way federal job retraining funds are allocated have hampered the ability of the UMWACC and other private nonprofit training centers to receive federal grants. The UMWACC was on the verge of closing the doors of its state-of-the-art facility in Ruff Creek because it could not receive the Build Back Better grant until the matching funds were secured.

 

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United Mine Workers endorses Casey for re-election in Pennsylvania

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

United Mine Workers endorses Casey for re-election in Pennsylvania

[UNIONTOWN, PA.] The National Council of the United Mine Workers of America Coal Miners Political Action Committee (COMPAC) has endorsed Bob Casey for re-election to the United States Senate, the union announced today.

            “We are proud to endorse a strong leader who has been a friend of coal miners his entire career,” said UMWA President Cecil E. Roberts. “Bob Casey’s roots are in coal country in eastern Pennsylvania. His heart has always been with miners, their families and their communities.

            “Senator Casey was a fierce advocate for preserving our retirees’ health care and pensions, and because of his leadership tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians have those benefits today,” Roberts said. “There are many, many people who are alive today because he took on that fight and won. We can never thank him enough for that.”

            Senator Casey has also been a leader in the fight to improve health and safety conditions in America’s mines, especially with respect to eliminating the scourge of Black Lung for future miners and improving the ability of those who have the disease to get the benefits they deserve. “Senator Casey has held hearings, he has introduced legislation, he has stood on the floor of the Senate and advocated to keep miners safer and healthier at work. We could not ask for a better advocate for our members, both active and retired.”

The National Council acted upon the recommendation of the union’s Pennsylvania State COMPAC Committee. “Endorsements come from the bottom up in our union,” Roberts said. “This is a reflection of the strong support our members in Pennsylvania have for Senator Casey. They are ready to get out and work for his re-election, and that’s exactly what we will do.”

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UMWA mourns passing of USW President Conway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

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

“The prayers of the entire UMWA family are with the family and co-workers of our Brother, United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway, who passed away today.

“Tom was my friend. I served on the AFL-CIO Executive Council with Tom and he was an inspirational leader who was always in the forefront of the fight to better workers’ lives. He was an organizer, a negotiator, and in many ways a trailblazer who cared about his union, its members and their families.

“Our heartfelt condolences go to our brothers and sisters at the USW for their loss. Our hearts are with them on this dark day.”

Michael Bloomberg takes dead aim at coal miners, families and communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 22, 2023

 

[TRIANGLE, VA.] Commenting on the announcement that Michael Bloomberg is donating $500 million to fund a campaign to prematurely close every coal-fired power plant in the United States, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

 

            “Michael Bloomberg has coal miners, their families and their communities in his sights once again. Not satisfied to have killed tens of thousands of their jobs in the last decade, devastating families and communities throughout America’s coalfields, he and the environmental groups who do the actual dirty work for him have decided the time has come to wipe them all out for good.

 

            “The United States and much of the world are in an energy transition, the devastating cost of which is placed squarely on the backs of traditional energy workers and their families. The UMWA has proposed ways to accomplish a true transition that changes that dynamic and does not leave these workers behind.

 

“We have worked with responsible parties inside and outside of government in an effort to move forward while protecting our members, their families and their communities. They agree with us that there will be no justice in this transition unless workers and their families are put first.

 

            “But Mr. Bloomberg’s announcement makes no mention of what will happen to the workers and their families. It makes no mention of the devastation he has already brought to Appalachia and elsewhere, which he is now doubling down on. He makes no provision to help workers by providing training opportunities or incentives for new job creation in the coalfields.

 

            “That comes as no surprise, because he has never respected workers or their families in his entire career. But he, and the organizations he is funding, can rest assured that we and our allies inside and outside the labor movement will fight back. We do not have $500 million to throw around, but we do have the faces and voices of hard-working American families whose lives and livelihoods are at even greater risk today.”

Tommy Tuberville is putting American soldiers at risk

By: Cecil E. Roberts, International President, United Mine Workers of America and Chairman of the Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO

When I was serving ten miles from the DMZ in Vietnam in 1968, it would not have occurred to me that a politician could single-handedly chop off the head of my chain of command. But that is exactly what Sen. Tommy Tuberville is doing. His actions to deny promotions to more than 250 generals, admirals and other top officers in our nation’s military are putting our armed forces at risk. And it is getting worse by the day.

Heads of services have not been confirmed. Brigadier and Lieutenant Generals remain in limbo. The Marine Corps has no Commandant. If our forces in Europe or in the South Pacific had to suddenly engage an enemy, hundreds of officers who would normally be making critical operational and logistical decisions would not be in place. Sen. Tuberville’s reckless actions would put tens of thousands of troops and sailors at an immediate disadvantage if the conflict was to come their way.

Our nation is not currently involved in large-scale hostile action today, and we should all be thankful for that. I have been in war. I have been shot at, and I have shot back. My prayer is that our nation’s young men and women never have to find themselves in that position ever again.

But if they do, they need to be ready. And without a functioning chain of command, the readiness of our armed forces is severely degraded. At a time when war is raging in Europe for the first time in nearly 80 years – a war that could rapidly spiral into a wider conflict – Sen. Tuberville’s actions put every soldier, every airman, every Marine, and every sailor at greater peril should they be called upon to defend our allies and our nation.

But of course, Sen. Tuberville has no idea about how our military works. He never came close to putting on our nation’s uniform. He does not understand what “chain of command” means in an army or navy. All he understands is that he has a unique power and he is going to use it, even though no Senator has ever used this power to put our nation’s security at risk.

I understand that Sen. Tuberville is acting in protest of an issue that he strongly believes should be addressed. I do not begrudge him his beliefs. But there are ways to make that point without putting our nation – and those who defend it – in a weaker position.

The notion that one person, elected by the people of just one state, can have the power to hold hostage our entire military and its chain of command is outrageous. The Senate must put an end to this charade and take steps to see that it can never happen again.

I still remember what it was like going out on night patrols from our position on top of a hill outside Da Nang, and wondering if my platoon would get back the next morning. I thank God there weren’t Senators like Tommy Tuberville around then. We may not have.

Cecil Edward Roberts, Jr., a sixth-generation coal miner and Vietnam Veteran, became President of the United Mine Workers (UMWA) of America on October 22, 1995, having served as Vice President of the union since December 1982.

NLRB Rules in Favor of UMWA, Blocking Decertification Vote at Warrior Met Coal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

 

NLRB Rules in Favor of UMWA, Blocking Decertification Vote at Warrior Met Coal

 

TRIANGLE, VA – The Director of Region 10 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Lisa Henderson, has ruled in favor of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), blocking a decertification vote at Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama. The UMWA has claimed that the decertification attempt was caused by Warrior Met’s unfair labor practices. The Region’s decision supports the UMWA’s claim.

“Henderson based her decision on a ruling by Judge Melissa M. Olivero, that determined Warrior Met Coal violated the law. They violated the law before the strike began, continue to violate the law today, and intend to keep violating it in the future,” said International UMWA President Cecil E. Roberts.

“Our members have been fighting for fair treatment and respect from Warrior Met Coal, and the company’s unfair labor practices have caused significant harm to our members and their families. Ironically, it was a non-member who initiated the decertification petition in an attempt to deny every worker’s right to belong to a union in the workplace. The UMWA will continue to fight for justice and fairness for our members,” Roberts added.

“The ruling sends a clear message that they cannot violate workers’ rights with impunity,” Roberts said. The union will continue to monitor the situation at Warrior Met Coal and will always take action to protect the rights of its members.”

UMWA Comments on Incident at Warrior Met Number 4 Mine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 31, 2023

 

UMWA Comments on Incident at Warrior Met Number 4 Mine

[TRIANGLE, VA] Commenting on the incident at Warrior Met Coal Wednesday morning, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“UMWA is deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred at Warrior Met Coal,” Roberts said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we stand ready to assist in any way we can.”

The incident occurred at the company’s No. 4 mine in Brookwood, Alabama, at approximately 7:00 a.m. Wednesday. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

“Our safety experts are on the scene and are participating in the investigation. We are working closely with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the company, and other authorities to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” Roberts said.

“The UMWA takes the safety of all miners very seriously, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that every miner returns home safely at the end of their shift,” Roberts said.

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UMWA Mourns Loss of Noble Environmental Worker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 24, 2023

 

UMWA Mourns Loss of Noble Environmental Worker 

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

The entire UMWA membership extends their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Brother Collin Rozzi following the tragic accident at Noble Environmental in Brownsville, Pa. where Brother Rozzi lost his life.

Brother Rozzi, a member of Local Union 2291, was 22 years old. Our safety experts, along with the Local Union 2291 safety committee and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are on site to investigate the cause of this devastating event.

We are committed to unearthing the facts surrounding his passing and will implement measures to prevent any such future occurrences.

Let us stand united in offering our thoughts and prayers to the Rozzi family during this difficult time. 

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UMWA Opposes Proposed EPA Carbon Rule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 3, 2023

 

UMWA Opposes Proposed EPA Carbon Rule

[TRIANGLE, VA.] The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) yesterday filed comments with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing the agency’s proposed carbon emission guidelines for coal-fired power plants. UMWA also is filing comments jointly with four other energy unions in opposition to EPA’s latest attempt to rewrite the 2015 Clean Power Plan decisively rejected by the Supreme Court in June 2022.

“There they go again,” said UMWA International President Cecil Roberts, “offering a proposal to even more rapidly shut down America’s most reliable generating fleet in favor of heavily subsidized and intermittent wind and solar energy sources. This proposal basically eliminates all but a few coal plants by 2035 while betting that sufficient amounts of renewable energy would be built to offset the loss of reliable baseload power to America’s energy grid.”

UMWA’s objects particularly to EPA’s choice of arbitrary retirement dates – 2032, 2035, and 2040 – as the basis for “subcategorizing” coal-generating plants. Under this proposal, plant owners must opt-in to one of the retirement subcategories, with control requirements increasing sharply with later retirement dates.

Plants planning to operate after 2040 would have to retrofit unproven carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology by 2030, even though states will not receive full regulatory approvals for their plans until 2026 or later. DOE is just now authorizing $2.5 billion for a limited number of CCS demonstration projects for coal-fired generation. The success of these projects will not be known for years, making the arbitrary 2030 deadline for installing commercial-grade CCS physically impossible to meet.

            EPA’s data show that the coal fleet would be largely eliminated by 2035, along with thousands of the associated jobs in coal mining, generation plant, and pollution control operation and maintenance, rail transportation, and support services. “We have seen and heard lots of promises for years about ‘no one being left behind,’ but the truth is that promises are not jobs,” Roberts said. “We cannot and we will not stand by and allow our members’ jobs to be wiped out, with no real prospects for anything to replace all of those jobs and sustain their families.”

Roberts re-elected UMWA President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 2, 2023

 

Roberts re-elected UMWA President

[TRIANGLE, VA.] Cecil E. Roberts has been re-elected by acclamation to his seventh full term as International President of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), the union announced today. His running mate, Brian Sanson, was elected to his first full term as International Secretary-Treasurer.

“I am humbled by this demonstration of support from the members of our union,” Roberts said. “At every step of my career, I have put what I believed to be the best interests of the membership first. I think they see that, and know that I will always fight for them. I thank them from the bottom of my heart and pledge to continue putting them first in everything that I do.”

Roberts has served the membership of the UMWA as International President since 1995 and is surpassed only by the legendary John L. Lewis as the longest-serving chief officer of the union. During his most recent term, Roberts led the UMWA’s successful fight to preserve health care and pensions for some 90,000 retired miners and widows, fought to preserve jobs for active miners, and bring new high-paying union jobs into the coalfields. 

Sanson assumed the Secretary-Treasurer position in 2021 and has served on the union’s negotiating team for several major contracts. He preserved the union’s financial strength in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding loss of coal jobs and the union’s 23-month-long strike at Warrior Met Coal.

The UMWA’s election process began with a nomination period from June 15-August 1. Candidates must get a minimum of 20 percent of nominations from constituent local unions to qualify for the ballot for any office. No other candidate for President or Secretary-Treasurer received nominations from any local union. In fact, the Roberts/Sanson Leadership Team was elected by acclimation to all but one office in the United States and Canada.