After Battle with Mining Giant Peabody, Willow Lake Coal Miners Win Union ($1.02 billion in profits)

Source: In These Times

By Bruce Vail

Workers at the Willow Lake coal mine in southern Illinois are now represented by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) certified the union’s victory in a rank-and-file election.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a notice of its certification on September 4, following a lengthy series of administrative delays and legal actions. UMWA won a closely fought representation election on May 20, 2011, at the mine in rural Equality, Ill., about 150 miles east of St. Louis, Mo.

UMWA President Cecil Roberts called on the owner of the mine, Peabody Energy Corp., to quit stalling and negotiate a new contract for the 440 miners and production worker represented by the union. “It’s long past time for...Peabody Energy to finally accept the rule of law, sit down with its workers and negotiate a fair and equitable contract,” Roberts stated in a September 6 press release.

Peabody is the largest coal producer in the world, with extensive mining operations in the United States and Australia. Headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., it reported “record-setting financial performance” of $1.02 billion in profits last year, according to a statement from Peabody CEO Greg Boyce.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13816/coal_miners_make_union_gains_at_peabodys_willow_lake_mine1/

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Friends and co-workers welcome Willow Lake miner Wade Waller (center, second row) back to work. He was fired for advocating UMWA representation at the Peabody Energy-owned mine, but reinstated by court order. (Butch Oldham, UMWA)