Warrior Met Coal strike hits one-year mark

On today’s anniversary of the walkout, contribute to the United Mine Workers’ strike fund to help them stay out ‘one day longer’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (April 1, 2022) — About 900 members of the United Mine Workers of America continue their Unfair Labor Practice strike against Warrior Met Coal in Alabama. The strike began one year ago today on April 1, 2021, against Warrior Met, which was formed after the bankruptcy of Walter Energy and operates several coal mining facilities across the state, after the company failed to offer a fair contract to workers who had made sacrifices to save the company from bankruptcy.

TAKE A STAND — Please mark today’s one-year anniversary by making a generous contribution to the UMWA’s Strike Aid Fund for the Warrior Met strikers. These donations are being used to help these union siblings in their time of need and provide additional support on top of the selective strike benefits they receive.

BACKGROUND — In 2016, due to a series of questionable management decisions, Walter Energy filed for bankruptcy, but the workers decided to save their company, preserve their jobs and their communities by sacrificing wages, time off from work, loss of overtime pay and an end to full healthcare coverage.

Their sacrifices totaled $1.1 billion over five years in cost savings and helped the company reach revenues in excess of $4.3 billion. The result of these sacrifices and an unheard-of financial comeback for the company was Warrior Met’s blatant mistreatment of its workers, forcing them to work most holidays and complete 12-hour shifts reaching up to seven days a week.

The National Labor Relations Board Regional 10 Director found merit in Unfair Labor Practice charges about Warrior Met’s bad faith bargaining and its failure to provide the union with information that the company is obligated to provide in contract negotiations.

“This is welcome news, but is no great surprise,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “We have seen this company act in ways contrary to American labor law from the outset of this strike. We have filed multiple Unfair Labor Practice charges in addition to those related to not bargaining in good faith.

“They have targeted our members and their families on the picket lines with vehicular assault and more,” he said. “We will see where we go from here. We continue to call on the company to get serious about reaching an agreement that is fair and reasonable for both sides. As we wait, we continue our Unfair Labor Practice strike.”

Since the Warrior Met strike began, UMWA members have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement at a different Alabama coal mine, the Shoal Creek metallurgical coal mine operated by Peabody Energy. But to date, Warrior Met has not joined Shoal Creek in negotiating in good faith to end the strike.

Until that happens, as UMWA President Roberts reminded the crowd at a rally at Tannehill State Park in Tuscaloosa County, the union will not back down.

► ALSO TODAY from AL.com — Warrior Met Coal strike reaches one year mark, possibly longest in Alabama history: ‘We didn’t want to do this’ — Curtis Turner, president of the UMW Local 2427 Central Shop, worked for 36 years in the mines and never expected the strike to continue for a year:

“We’ve made this company one of the largest met coal producers and sellers in the U.S., and the company is very profitable. I just cannot believe the company has taken this position. In my opinion, it’s just corporate greed.”