Striking Alabama Coal Miners Are Getting Attacked With Pickup Trucks

[Rasulis]

Striking Alabama Coal Miners Are Getting Attacked With Pickup Trucks

Approximately 1,100 miners are striking for better pay and benefits.

The United Mine Workers Of America released video last week of two of the three attacks on its picketing members by people driving large trucks. The union says these assaults were carried out “...by persons working for Warrior Met Coal, Inc.”

Around 1,100 coal miners have been on strike since the beginning of April, seeking better pay and working conditions, according to the Guardian. Miners accepted a staggering $6-an-hour pay cut, agreed to a strict attendance policy and a steep reduction in benefits five years ago when the last owner of the No 7 mine in Brookwood, Walter Energy, filed for bankruptcy. Strikers say they now can’t afford basic necessities like food and housing. The miners told the Guardian they are simply seeking payment and benefits similar to other local unionized mines. While the strikers have received a great deal of support from the labor community, their struggle has not received much attention in the press.

When the strike started, Warrior Met Coal immediately brought in scabs. The UMWA suspects it is either one of these “replacement workers” or someone working directly with Warrior Met Coal who is attacking these legal picket lines.

“Warrior Met personnel, either management or nonunion workers, have repeatedly struck our members who were engaging in legal picket line activities, with their vehicles,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said today. “We have members in casts, we have members in the hospital, we have members who are concerned about their families and potential of violence against them if they come to the picket line.

“We have been to court on multiple occasions regarding what we can and cannot do on the picket lines and our members respect the guidance of the court,” Roberts said. “Warrior Met seems to believe that it is all right to strike people with cars as they engage in legal, protected activity. This is a dangerous course of action that can swiftly lead to events spiraling out of control. That is the last thing anyone should want.

“I call on Warrior Met to back away from violence and finally come to the bargaining table in good faith, ready to hammer out a fair and reasonable agreement,” Roberts said. “But if Warrior Met decides to continue inspiring violence on the picket lines, their leadership should understand that UMWA members have been subjected to company violence for 131 years and will not be deterred from seeking a fair contract for them and their families. We are still here and we will remain here long after those leaders have gone.”

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office told AL.com that they had no reports of the attacks on strikers.

Of course, Warrior Met Coal isn’t just abusing its workers. The mine itself recently turned a formally healthy local creek completely black with unknown particulates, according to AL.com.

BTW, Warrior Met Coal produced high quality metallurgical coal. With the high demand for steel, unlike energy coal producers, the company recently has been raking in record breaking profits.

[Zan15]

Striking Alabama Coal Miners Are Getting Attacked With Pickup Trucks



BTW, Warrior Met Coal produced high quality metallurgical coal. With the high demand for steel, unlike energy coal producers, the company recently has been raking in record breaking profits.

l learned long ago that you never accept concessions without a guaranteed bump back in the extending years.

When i worked for the corporate world and the company suffered from a downturn and huge internal system problems, employees suffered through 0% raises for 3 years and cuts to benefits as a concession to help the company out. they agreed to get rid of the pension plan for a company benefiting 401k plan and layoffs.

What did they get in return 3 years later.


Oh the company gave the CEO/President (held two positions) 142 million dollar bonus and then 2 years later a 200 million dollar golden parachute retirement bump.
Then they went and brought out another company for 1.7 billion dollars.

Raises for 5 years after that were limited to 3% max.


GG, helping out.


Fuck them, let them go bankrupt before you concede to giving them something with nothing in return.
For all those cuts they should have got a % of the company or profit sharing for the future.

Eventually these unions will learn as the employees of my company did, employees never took another deal again and that remains true even after 2 bigger economic downturns since the time they screwed employees over.

[Dead Moose Fandango]

Bob Murray's ghost is controlling pickup trucks and running his old workers over. Goddamn you, Bob. Even from Hell, you're acting like a dick.

[Egomaniac]

Bob Murray's ghost is controlling pickup trucks and running his old workers over. Goddamn you, Bob. Even from Hell, you're acting like a dick.

Not going to find a better opening than this:

[Rasulis]

Bob Murray's ghost is controlling pickup trucks and running his old workers over. Goddamn you, Bob. Even from Hell, you're acting like a dick.

No rest for the wicked. Even in death, poor Bob could not escape blame.

That's beside the point though. I understand most coal companies are scums. However, I am surprised that the local law enforcement had not gotten involved. Trying to run over people, even if they were blocking access which was a time honored protest strategy, can't be legal.

On the other hand this is Alabama. So who knows. I kept expecting one of the protesters to pull a firearm on the drivers of those trucks.

[Masark]

However, I am surprised that the local law enforcement had not gotten involved. Trying to run over people, even if they were blocking access which was a time honored protest strategy, can't be legal.

The only reason cops would get involved in this is if they wanted to help kill the striking workers like they have historically.

[Omega10]

The only reason cops would get involved in this is if they wanted to help kill the striking workers like they have historically.

Unfortunately this is accurate.

[Edge-]

Unfortunately this is accurate.

"Unions for we, union busting for thee!"

[Omega10]

"Unions for we, union busting for thee!"

You made me laugh. I'll try and remember this for use at appropriate times

[Elder Millennial]

Welp.

At least they aren't using Tommy Guns to move down the strikers like back in the day.

[Acidbaron]

l learned long ago that you never accept concessions without a guaranteed bump back in the extending years.

When i worked for the corporate world and the company suffered from a downturn and huge internal system problems, employees suffered through 0% raises for 3 years and cuts to benefits as a concession to help the company out. they agreed to get rid of the pension plan for a company benefiting 401k plan and layoffs.

What did they get in return 3 years later.


Oh the company gave the CEO/President (held two positions) 142 million dollar bonus and then 2 years later a 200 million dollar golden parachute retirement bump.
Then they went and brought out another company for 1.7 billion dollars.

Raises for 5 years after that were limited to 3% max.


GG, helping out.


Fuck them, let them go bankrupt before you concede to giving them something with nothing in return.
For all those cuts they should have got a % of the company or profit sharing for the future.

Eventually these unions will learn as the employees of my company did, employees never took another deal again and that remains true even after 2 bigger economic downturns since the time they screwed employees over.

Sadly this is the correct attitude, also management will never take the same cut percentage wise that you did.

Never treat the company you work for as family, you are just a number and they are just a job. If you take a pay cut it will be harder to get back to that level as you have a harder time brokering your new wage with your new employer for that amount you earned before.

You also do not revitalize a sick company by employee pay cuts, there is a structural problem why the company is sick and struggling often this may include too many manager or board positions, but those are rarely to never touched...

[Ihavewaffles]

Odd, why are there no reports with the police

[szechuan]

Odd, why are there no reports with the police

Yet republicans are passing laws legalizing's driving down protestors.

[Ihavewaffles]

Yet republicans are passing laws legalizing's driving down protestors.

Wtf?

I'm talking about strikers reporting to police, you know, basic normal behavior after being attacked?

[unfilteredJW]

Yet republicans are passing laws legalizing's driving down protestors.

You are wasting your breath here.

[Kraenen]

Yet republicans are passing laws legalizing's driving down protestors.

which law was that?

[Edge-]

which law was that?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/u...test-laws.html

[Kraenen]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/u...test-laws.html

It says it was sent in, did it get passed?

[Logwyn]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/u...test-laws.html

Pay walls are fun for news stories!

[Egomaniac]

Pay walls are fun for news stories!

Here you go

https://outline.com/qBpepv