:: rawblogXport ::

:: Sunday, August 15, 2004 ::

Utah miners in trench war with bosses to win UMWA representation BY ANNE CARROLL AND PAT MILLER, The Militant, NY  
HUNTINGTON, Utah—A trench war between the bosses and coal miners organizing to win representation by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) is going on at the Co-Op mine here, workers report.

The miners, who returned to the job July 12 after a nine-and-a-half month strike, say they are making progress in winning support among other production workers for the UMWA and challenging the legitimacy of the company “union,” the so-called International Association of United Workers Union (IAUWU).

Miners say they are also documenting and standing up to selective enforcement of safety rules, a series of verbal and written warnings against supporters of the UMWA, and flagrant violations of the recent settlement the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) negotiated between the UMWA and Co-Op owners, the Kingstons.

To broaden solidarity with their struggle, miners say they are also responding to new invitations to speak in front of labor bodies. Labor solidarity, they note, was crucial in forcing the company to make an unconditional offer to return to all the strikers, after the NLRB ruled in June that the 75 miners had been fired illegally last September.

posted 8:13 AM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

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