Coalminers march in New York City, November 4, 2021.
Alabama coal miners have been on strike
against Warrior Met since April 1 and continue their fight. They have
already voted down one contract offer. The 1,100 workers persist in
manning picket lines and again travelled to New York City to
confront BlackRock, which has a controlling interest in Warrior Met. BlackRock
is one of the world's largest financiers, responsible for closing many
facilities and making a quick score while massively eliminating jobs
and attacking wages and working conditions.
On
November 4, workers protested at BlackRock headquarters. Five people
were arrested during the action, which followed similar protests in June
and July. In addition Warrior Met secured a restraining order against
picket line activity by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) at
their sites. They claimed violence at the picket lines
had "reached a dangerous level," in a situation where it is the company which has
been violent.
The order prohibits virtually any activity that disrupts the
company's operations, including "picketing or other activity within 300
hundred yards of any entrances of the premises," and interfering
with "the conduct and operation of Warrior's business and supporting
activities, including mass picketing." It effectively enables the
company to
bring in as much scab labour as possible, while trying to force the
strikers into submission.
The temporary restraining order is the latest in a series of
provocations by the company against the ongoing strike. For weeks, the
company has conducted a smear campaign by ratcheting up provocations.
This includes hiring a PR firm, Sitker and Company, to paint the
strikers as "violent" in the news and on social media. On a
company-sponsored YouTube page, a surveillance video was posted which
claims to show picketers "attacking" a scab. In fact, it shows a
vehicle running directly into miners on the picket line. Throughout the
strike, multiple picketers and their wives have been struck by
vehicles, with at least one miner hospitalized for his injuries. As one
miner
put it, "Miners have been shot at late at night. The cops don't care
about the miners and do little when they call in a shooting or
vehicular assault, which have continued to occur. Meanwhile, the cops
escort the bus with the scabs every day."
The current agreement with the union was negotiated as Warrior Met
emerged from the bankruptcy proceedings of the former Walter Energy,
which declared bankruptcy in 2016. As many workers in the U.S. and
Canada have experienced, bankruptcy is legalized theft. It is used to
secure massive profits while also attacking workers. The coal
miners were forced to make numerous concessions in pay, benefits,
holidays, overtime and other areas. They are demanding that all be
restored and that wages and safety be improved. Like other strikers,
they have received widespread support.
For further details see "Mass Workers' Rally at BlackRock's New York Headquarters; Striking Alabama Coal Miners Adopt Bold Slogan We Are One!," TML Monthly August 2021 .
This article was published in
November 15, 2021 - No. 107
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2021/Articles/WO081073.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
