Blackjewel miners in Kentucky vow to continue fight against coal operator
Coal miners outside the Blackjewel mine in Cumberland, Kentucky, are continuing their fight to get the money they are owed by the large coal operator. Blackjewel LLC declared bankruptcy on July 1, putting 1,800 miners out of work in Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. The miners were given no warning of the impending closure, and paychecks that had been passed out June 28 bounced, causing serious hardship for miners and their families.
On July 29, scores of miners blocked the railroad tracks, preventing the company from removing 100 coal cars—valued at about $1 million—from its Cloverlick #3 mine. The miners live in the eastern Kentucky county, which earned the name “Bloody Harlan” in the 1930s due to pitched battles miners fought against the coal bosses and their hired gunmen and local authorities.
Like the airline, automotive and other industries, the giant energy companies and their investors have long used the bankruptcy courts to destroy the jobs and loot the pensions of miners.
The World Socialist Web Site sat down and spoke with Chris Sexton and Jeffrey Willig, two of the miners involved in the railroad track occupation about what miners and their families are fighting for.
Read more: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/16/blac-a16.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
