Roberts Blasts Massey Plan to Hire Immigrant Miners
By Paul J. Nyden
pjnyden@wvgazette.com
United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts calls Massey Energy’s efforts to hire non-English speaking workers in Kentucky “outrageous.”
Roberts said the proposal is a “scam” to lower wages and benefits for all Massey miners.
Sidney Coal President Charles Bearse told the Kentucky Mining Board in December he had “identified Hispanic workers who want to come to the area and train to become miners.”
In a statement distributed to the Kentucky board, Bearse said, “It is common knowledge that the work ethic of the Eastern Kentucky worker has declined from where it once was.” Bearse later apologized for that remark.
On Thursday, Roberts said Bearse’s remarks were “the equivalent of an obscene gesture from Massey to every working man and woman in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia.”
Massey spokeswoman Katharine Kenney was not in her Richmond, Va., offices Thursday. Jeff Gillenwater, a Massey spokesman in Charleston, did not return a telephone call Thursday afternoon.
Roberts said more than 12,000 individuals have received training and have been issued miners’ certificates in Kentucky in the past two years.
“There are thousands of people in Kentucky and Southern West Virginia who are eager to go to work in the coal mines. All they’re asking for is a decent job, with fair treatment and safe working conditions.”
Massey Energy, the nation’s fourth largest coal producer in terms of revenue from coal sales, operates mines in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.
Earlier this week, Bill Caylor, president of the Kentucky Mining Association in Lexington, called Massey’s proposal “a first shot out of the bow.”
Caylor said the Kentucky Legislature would have to change state law before coal companies can begin hiring non-English speaking miners.
“If Massey is able to get away with doing this, they’ll be able to push down wages and benefits for every miner they employ in every nonunion mine they operate by threatening to replace them with immigrants,” Roberts said.
The UMW does not oppose Hispanic workers in U.S. coal mines. Decades ago, the UMW organized Mexican workers who came to get jobs in mines in places including Logan County. Today, the UMW is helping more than 40 Mexican immigrants organize to negotiate with C.W. Mining, whose Co-Op Mine is located in Huntington, Utah.
The Utah miners are waiting for a ruling from the National Labor Relations board to uphold their December 2004 vote to have the UMW represent them.
“C.W. Mining was paying these workers under $8 per hour, with no benefits,” Roberts said. “Working conditions in the Co-Op mine were terrible, and the workers were subjected to intimidation and harassment if they spoke up…
“We welcome diversity in our union, because we know it makes us stronger. And we will fight against exploitation of miners wherever it occurs and to whomever it occurs.”
To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348- 5164.