“We are disappointed that the bill will not be passed,” said Cecil Roberts, head of the United Nations Mining Workers’ Union, in a statement on Monday. “We urge Senator Munch to reconsider his opposition to this law and work with his colleagues to help the coal miners work and achieve something that will have a meaningful impact on our members, their families and their communities.”
The 131-year-old UMWA said a number of things it believes are important to its members and communities, including extending the fees paid by coal companies for the benefits that black lung victims receive.
“But now those fees will be halved, and this will further shift the burden of paying these benefits on coal companies and taxpayers,” Roberts said.
Another benefit of the built-back packer cited by UMWA: Tax incentives to hire thousands of unemployed coal miners to encourage manufacturers to build facilities in the coal fields.
“Now the potential for those jobs is significantly threatened,” Roberts said.
Roberts also cited a provision in the law that penalizes employers for denying workers the right to form a union at work.
The union said it had a “long and friendly relationship” with Manjin.
“We are grateful for his hard work in protecting the pensions and health care of our retirees across the country, including thousands in West Virginia,” Roberts said. “He is on our side because we have worked to protect the jobs of coal miners in the dynamic energy market. We really appreciate that.”
Munchin’s communications director Sam Rune said Tuesday that Munchin “has always been a strong advocate for the UMWA and has guided legislation to address the black lung excise tax expiration.”
“He will definitely continue to work to raise the black lung excise tax in the new year to meet the needs of our brave miners,” Runyon said.
Resisting Built Back Better
“I always said,‘ If I can’t go home and explain, I can’t vote for it, ’Munchin said. “Despite my best efforts, I can not explain the built-back Better law in West Virginia, and I can not vote to move this great law forward.”
The Coal Miners’ Union is also pressing Manjin to exercise its right to vote.
“I want to reiterate our support for the speedy implementation of the Right to Vote Act, and Senator Mans and every other senator must be prepared to do whatever it takes to pass it,” said Roberts, union leader. Report. “Anti-democratic lawmakers and their allies are working every day to reclaim the right to vote in the United States. The Senate’s failure to stand up for it is unacceptable and a violation of their constitutional duty.”