Bernie Sanders Sent a Bunch of Pizzas to the Coal Miners Blocking a Train in Kentucky

[Uncle Joe]

Dozens of Kentucky coal miners protesting over millions’ worth of unpaid wages received a gift of encouragement from Sen. Bernie Sanders: 18 pizzas.

The Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate called the local Pizza Hut Friday and sent a pie to the miners for each day they’ve been blocking a train full of over $1 million in coal from their former employer, Blackjewel, according to the local NBC affiliate. The demonstration started on July 29 with five men standing on railroad tracks. Three weeks later, the blockade has ballooned into an encampment with what feels like a round-the-clock tailgate.

The miners have plastered the words “No pay, we stay” on banners and other surfaces across their camp in Harlan County, Kentucky. In early July, Blackjewel filed for bankruptcy and estimated it owes $4.5 million in backpay to hundreds of workers. The miners want to make sure the proceeds from the sale of the coal shipment goes toward paying them — not other Blackjewel creditors.

(snip)


To the miners, the coal represents the company’s failure to deal with them in good faith. Before filing for bankruptcy, Blackjewel operated four mines in Appalachia, which employed more than a thousand workers. One afternoon in early July, those workers learned that the mine would be closing immediately, without the mandatory 60-day warning from the company.

The miners also weren’t paid for their last week on the job, and when they tried to cash their last paychecks, they bounced. Blackjewel, per Kentucky law, was supposed to post a bond to cover the workers’ last paychecks. It didn’t. The company now owes each of the miners about $4,200 for back wages and unpaid benefits, lawyers representing the miners told the New York Times.

(snip)


https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8xwawa/bernie-sanders-sent-a-bunch-of-pizzas-to-the-coal-miners-blocking-a-train-in-kentucky

[vsrazdem]

2. I hope that was satire.

[elleng]

27. I don't think it was satire. Glad it was deleted.

[stonecutter357]

3. lol my addblock has blocked 600 items from vice.com , In just a few minutes .

[Autumn]

4. Great post Uncle Joe, a wonderful gesture. But wait for it... you know it's coming...

[Uncle Joe]

6. ....

[questionseverything]

9. glad you posted this, from the article

The coal miners are just one party in the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, which have creditors wrestling over various parts of the company in federal court. While Blackjewel hasn’t paid the miners, it did pay back $52.8 million in loans to the company’s CEO before declaring bankruptcy, according to the Wall Street Journal. /////////////////


the companies ceo got his money!! is bs...his accounts should be frozen until the miners get paid

Bernie is always fighting for the working people

[JudyM]

40. Corporations as a rule have no shame, unlike the "persons" they purport to legally be.

The news yesterday about the Business Roundtable finally deciding that corporations owe a duty to the public (rather than just to shareholders) is fantastic if it starts to change business culture. I have hope.
I credit Bernie as being one of the leaders changing the dialogue about corporate responsibility.

[HerbChestnut]

10. And there it is, just below your post.

Didn't take long...

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. Never does

[TexasTowelie]

5. I ordered from Pizza Hut last week.

The special was a large 3-topping for $7.99. So by spending about $150 Sanders gets some positive media exposure. Were the pizzas paid by Bernie himself or through campaign donations?

It's nice to know that the miners ate well for one night (although I can eat a large by myself if I don't have any other meals during the day).

[HerbChestnut]

11. Or, you know, maybe he genuinely wanted to show those guys support?

[Uncle Joe]

13. I have no doubt the miners appreciated it.

To quote Matthew

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. "

[sheshe2]

28. You are not by any chance....

never mind.

[Uncle Joe]

29. Family?

Yes.

[TexasTowelie]

25. That could be true,

but if that were the case he could also have sent the pizzas anonymously. I don't see why it needs to be publicized.

[Uncle Joe]

30. Because it's part of Bernie's overall message.

Leave no one behind.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. Why most caring people love Bernie!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[CentralMass]

36. Yes indeed.

[TexasTowelie]

34. I'll be more impressed if he continues sending food to the miners in subsequent weeks.

Until then, I'm going to consider it a cheap publicity stunt.

[ehrnst]

39. +1000. Marketing. (nt)

[Kurt V.]

12. can you really? i eat 5 times a day. small portions except lunch.

[TexasTowelie]

24. Yes, if it is a thin crust.

It's been awhile since I pulled that feat off with a regular crust.

[Blue_true]

35. I am normally a fierce critic of Bernie. But the pizzas for that situation was a deft

touch. It boasters his labor creeds and really makes Trump look bad at the same time. Trump is avoiding those miners.

[Land Shark]

7. Everyone should support these miners

Thanks to Bernie for leadership

[Uncle Joe]

8. I agree on all counts Land Shark.

[Captain Zero]

14. Pay the #WorkersFirst -You corporate scum.

Solidarity !

[HerbChestnut]

16. Bankruptcy law says that debt holders must be paid before workers, unfortunately.

The real outrage here is that the CEO, who loaned money to the company, was paid in full just before the company declared bankruptcy. This means that while the CEO got what was owed to him, the other creditors and workers likely will not. That is how the 1% operate.

[Duppers]

17. Repub legislation. nt

[druidity33]

37. with Democratic support, sadly. nt.

[lunasun]

31. Yes I was involved in this once and that is unfortunately the way it goes . Big dogs first but the

CEO Scam prior to bankruptcy is despicable

[RainCaster]

15. That's f'in criminal!

Are you sure DFT doesn't own this mining company?

[PatrickforO]

18. Blackjewel is a corporation. The problem with this is that corporations

don't have to pay, and the company's owners and executives are free from any consequences.

Seriously. Here's what Blackjewel's Owner/CEO is doing these days:

Beyond payment due to the miners, Blackjewel and related companies owe the public hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes, royalties, and fines as well as payments to creditors and vendors.

New findings raise serious questions about self-dealing by former CEO Jeff Hoops and his family – who are building a multi-million resort development in West Virginia. Hoops, and companies controlled by him and his family, are seeking $22.2 million for what they characterize as unpaid loans and owed royalties and rent payments from Blackjewel.

Hoops says that he is owed $11 million for loans he made to the company without documentation and apparently in violation of Blackjewel’s other credit agreements. Two other companies controlled by Hoops have filed claims against Blackjewel seeking a further $11.2 million in royalty payments and rent. The contracts supporting those claims are signed by Hoops as representative of both Blackjewel and the companies making claims against Blackjewel. The claims seek payment be sent to Hoops’s wife, Patricia, the namesake of Hoops’s planned resort.

This link has the whole disgusting f-ing mess. https://news.littlesis.org/2019/08/15/wall-street-former-ceo-seek-to-get-paid-while-blackjewel-miners-wait-for-back-wages/

This Hoops needs to spend some time in prison.

[Uncle Joe]

19. Thanks for the addition PartickforO

[PatrickforO]

20. Oh, and one other thought.

This was a good thing for Bernie to do, because all of us need to have our attention called so crap like this - where corporate greed-heads are trying to rip off workers. This whole thing makes me want to vomit.

[bitterross]

21. Wonder if Blackjewel, its managment and owners are Moscow Mitch Donors?

I'd be willing to bet they are. This should be tied to Moscow Mitch if at all possible.

[Uncle Joe]

23. I thought about Moscow Mitch when I saw this article.

[TexasTowelie]

32. Possibly,

but the corporate headquarters for Blackjewel are in West Virginia. Their largest mines are in Wyoming and West Virginia. They also have mines in Kentucky and Virginia, but I don't believe that they are major players in those states.

[guillaumeb]

26. No matter how many times they are deceived and attacked by GOP politicians and capitalists,

some workers insist on cutting their own throats when they vote for the GOP.

[Amimnoch]

38. As much as I opposed Bernie's tactics and candidacy, this is a great thing.

I'm not above giving credit where it's due. Wonderful gesture.

[DesertRat]

41. I love when our candidates call attention to and show encouragement to workers

Something the unfit conman in the White House would never consider.