The United Mine Workers of America Local has been on strike since April 1, 2021 at Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama, just outside of Tuscaloosa. The workers walked off the job after their contract expired and the membership voted down the tentative agreement that had been proposed.

In 2016 the local union agreed to concessions to help the previous owner of the mine during a time of bankruptcy. The mine sold with the promise the workers would be rewarded for their sacrifice. While the pandemic impacted the coal industry just like everything else, CEO Walter J. Scheller, III says the company is, ​“strongly capitalized and well-positioned to restart our growth trajectory.”

To complicate things for the striking miners, the new owners are a group of Hedge Funds. United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts stated the concessions of the miners saved the new company $1.1 billion dollars. In the past five years the company has made another 3.4 billion dollars most of which flowed back to the hedge fund investors.

The new owner’s contract offer would have restored the workers back to their 2015 pay, still leaving them six years behind in compensation. To add insult to injury management gave managers a $35,000 bonus earlier this year after the miners had worked 16 hour shifts and seven day weeks during the pandemic to keep the coal moving for steel production.

The new owners brought in replacement workers to try and keep the mine running to break the strike. The workers have also been targets of violence as several strikers have been struck by vehicles in deliberate attacks on the union members.

This is simply one more infuriating story if “wealthy investors” swooping in and taking money of the pockets of the workers and putting it in their own pocket. The coal this mine produces is used for steel production and does 2000 feet in the ground with, with miners having to travel up to ten miles underground to reach the coal face. It is the miners who risk their lives miles underground, 16 hours a day, seven days a week to remove this coal, while hedge fund managers and their investors occupy high rise offices on Wall Street and have enjoy fancy dinners and mansions off the blood and sweat of the miners.

 A rally for the strikers is being planned for Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at10AM at the Brookwood Town Park. These families are hurting and they need our help. Retiree Chair Chuck McDonald is planning on attending the rally and would love to have company. Plus any donation of canned food, school supplies or financial donations would be appreciated.

For more information, contact Chuck McDonald by calling the local number 256-353-7893 and leaving a message or emailing Chuck at [email protected].

Hedge Fund managers and Real Estate Developers have raided the pockets of workers for generations. If you remember it was Ann Romney’s hedge fund, wife of Mitt Romney, that bought up Delphi Stock for pennies on the dollar and then wanted full value of the stock, threatening to starve GM for parts until they gave the hedge fund the money GM owed Delphi workers. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

By John Davis