05/05/2017 – On May 4, Congress passed legislation providing for 22,600 retired coal miners, widows and dependents to have the health care they were promised by the federal government and earned through going into the mines for decades to power the country.
The members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) have been rallying and lobbying Congress to secure their promised retirement benefits since Patriot Coalâs bankruptcy filing in 2012. On Sept. 8, 2016, APWU officers and staff stood in solidarity with over eight thousand miners, widows, coalfield community members and union supporters at the UMWAâs rally in front of the U.S. Capitol.
âI congratulate United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts and the entire mine workersâ union on this important victory,â said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. âThey stood by their members, and took to the streets to secure these benefits. This shows what true worker solidarity and community activism can accomplish.â
âTens of thousands of our members, both retired and active, have marched, rallied, written letters and made phone calls to their representatives in Washington, urging passage of this legislation,â said UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts. âThey deserve the lionâs share of the credit for getting us to this day.â
According to the UMWA, the government will now provide retirement health care to âorphanedâ union miners, to those who lost their coverage because of a recent coal company bankruptcy or closure.
âCongress has done the right thing by providing permanent funding for the care coal miners need,â said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who is a former International President of the UMWA. âUnion members kept our part of the bargain while mining corporations used bankruptcy laws to break their promises to provide good health benefits and a secure retirement.â
This legislation, âwill mean the difference between life and death for thousands of senior citizens throughout the coalfields,â Roberts said.
However, there is another part of the struggle, securing the minersâ pension fund, which is still unresolved. âAs much as we enjoy this victory the fight is not over. We must waste no time to develop a solution to the pension crisis that is looming for even more retired miners and widows. If Congress does not act soon, 89,000 current pensions and 30,000 of those who are owed a pension in the future will not get what they earned.â
Go to umwa.org to learn more about the UMWAâs triumphant battle to secure retirement health care for their members and find out what you can do to support their ongoing struggle to preserve the retired miners’ pensions.
Source: Miners Win Permanent Funding for Retirement Health Care
Union and NAME of Local/Branch
APWU Salisbury NC
I wish the APWU would support it’s retirees in the same manner. Diamondstein has some nerve making a statement like that when he’s in favor of forcing retirees to pay for Medicare. An additional cost that we don’t need or want !
Union and NAME of Local/Branch
APWU Oakland Ca.
Office held, if any
Legislative Director (Ret.)
Wake up indeed! Has even one of these officers raised their voice to protect our promised retirement benefits?
No signs or rallies for those who put you there?
Union and NAME of Local/Branch
Florida State Retiree Chapter
Office held, if any
Retired Sec-Treasurer, Pgh Metro Area Local
and I do not believe any of these miners are part of “medicare integration”
Union and NAME of Local/Branch
Lake Geauga Area Local 1204
Office held, if any
President
So let me get this right…. the APWU will stand in solidarity with UMWA (United Mine Workers of America) and help them secure their PROMISED RETIREMENT BENEFITS, but will drive the bus right over their own members and give away the promise of FEHBP as primary insurance in retirement.
Wake up APWU members…..
Union and NAME of Local/Branch
Local #618, Terre Haute
Truly sad. We are happy for those who stand up for their rights but we are very quick to concede our retirees benefits and rights.