West Virginia Blue
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- An appeal is being filed by the West Virginia Labor History Association over the removal of Blair Mountain from the National Register of Historic Places.
- The Times Herald-Record, of New York's Hudson River Valley, profiled Mat Louis-Rosenberg of Coal River Mountain Watch.
"Mountaintop removal is the worst manmade catastrophe in the nation's history," he said. "It's also an economic catastrophe for West Virginia. The coal industry, while promising prosperity to the state, has devastated communities across the state."
Blankenship was feeling shy:
Blankenship declined comment on the "Rolling Stone" article and on accusations of violating the Clean Water Act. He also declined comment on accusations that mountaintop mining affects the health of the Appalachian people.
- When Don's feeling more talkative, he often says mountaintop removal is necessary to ward off competition from overseas. He might want to look into these guys at Massey Energy, who just signed a deal with Delhi, India-based Jindal Steel & Power for coal projects in India, Mongolia, Australia and the United States.
-The rightwing Charleston Daily Mail tells us that changes for the black lung benefits program that Senator Byrd put in the Senate health care bill are a "job killer."
How do we know?
"Experts" say, according to the Daily Mail - Experts like Steve Roberts of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, who, coincidentally, wanted Byrd to hold the health care bill hostage unless the coal owners' demands were met.
Some fine stenography by the Daily Mail's business editor, George Hohmann.
- And speaking of Daily Mail hacks, just wanted to point out that we're two weeks out and Don Surber has yet to offer even a remotely substantive rebuttal to Ken Ward's post that obliterated the crap Don was inserting into DM editorials.
- Republican Senator James Inhofe has a distinguished career as a total shill for corporate America. Whether its pushing for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or comparing the world's scientific community to the Third Reich, he's worked hard to be the go-to guy for polluters... and He's quite proud of it. ...so it was only a matter of time until he came out solidly in favor of the destruction of the Appalachian Mountains.
Yesterday afternoon in Pittsburgh, I had the honor and privilege of being elected president of the AFL-CIO along with our new Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker. Before I share my thoughts on what we can accomplish together in the future, there's someone I need to thank-someone I think all of us need to thank.
John Sweeney has renewed our commitment to organizing, restored our voice in government and reminded us that organized labor isn't just an institution; we are a movement.
That's right, we are a movement, and today, on my first full day as president of the AFL-CIO, my message to America is that just as unions built the middle class once before, if you give us the chance, we can build it again.
The surest, the fastest, most effective way to lift workers and our families into the middle class is with the strength that can only, only come with a union contract!
And, sisters and brothers, that fundamental truth has never been more critical to the future of this country than it is right now. Because today the American middle class isn't being squeezed: We are being crushed. The mirage of prosperity through borrowed money has dissolved-and now we're left with the reality of a hollowed-out economy and a broken financial system.
What kind of labor movement do we need to rebuild America?
A younger labor movement. A greener labor movement. A labor movement that can project its power-to defend workers anywhere in the world. A labor movement that's organizing the unorganized.
A labor movement that's winning health care for every family-and, yes, a labor movement that stands by its friends, punishes its enemies and challenges those who can't decide whose side they're on.
Can we make it happen?
I know we can.
It's up to us to build a newer, stronger labor movement and a unionism that speaks clearly and boldly to the needs of Americans today.
What's labor's dream for America?
We dream of an America where men and women work at jobs where they're treated with respect and paid what they've truly earned.
We dream of an America where workers have jobs they look forward to going to every morning-not the kind they can't wait to leave every night.
We dream of an America where young parents tiptoe over to the crib where their baby's sleeping...and look down at that little boy or girl...and know, in their hearts, that the America they'll leave to that child will be better and fairer than the America that was left to them.
What does labor want?
We want a nation where it doesn't matter what the color of your skin is...or what sex or religion you are...or whether you're gay or straight or what country your family's from because here, in America, we believe everyone ought to have their chance to step into the winner's circle.
What does labor want?
We want an America...where every man, woman and child who needs a doctor can see one! Where every worker looking for a good job can find one! Where every American who wants to have a union can join one!
What does labor want?
We want an America whose future will always, always be better than its past and where every voice is heard.
I believe this is our moment.
And today I'm telling you that we will seize this moment.
Verizon's plan to sell its local phone businesses in 14 states -- including West Virginia -- to Frontier Communications poses significant risks to consumers, workers and communities.
Local (WV) media reported that "tens of thousands" showed up at the Friends of America Labor Day fabrication fest without even coming close to disputing the blatant corporate lie that over 70,000 had turned out. Worse still, the corporate-owned media seemed to go completely out of its way to misreport the reality of exactly why coal company CEO Donald Blankenship threw at least a million bucks at his little Mingo County dog-and-pony show.
While coal magnate Don Blankenship pledged his allegiance to his corporation on a bleak surface mine site, the Color Guard of VFW Post 5578 lead the flag salute at beautiful John Slack Memorial Park in Racine, WV. By the way, Don, Title 4 Section 8 paragraph d of the US Code clearly states that the flag should never be used as wearing apparel.
photo by One Citizen - Charleston, WV
While chickenhawk Tod "Crusty Pants" Nugent was paid big bucks to whine into a corporate-owned microphone about his precious 2nd amendment right to shoot raccoons on a nearly barren surface mine quarry in Mingo County, WV, just miles away UMWA volunteers rolled out a light artillery piece which had been left by the federal government for coal companies to use as a "bargaining tool" against AMERICAN miners who'd struggled for basic human rights in the Appalachian coalfields for years.
photo by One Citizen - Charleston, WV
photo by One Citizen - Charleston, WV "The people who came here -- they did it because of what's in their heart and not what's in their pocket books," said UMWA President Cecil Roberts. "These people are committed to the United Mine Workers and the principles of organized labor."
photo by One Citizen - Charleston, WV The real Labor Day celebration in Racine was truly a family event.
But at Blankenship's Friends of Massey charade he and other outside agitators lied profusely and repeatedly cussed through loudspeakers about how Cap and Trade regs would threaten jobs, when the truth is that no anti-pollution laws have ever, or will ever, cost more mining jobs or more lives than mountaintop removal. Plus, those Cap and Trade laws wouldn't even apply if coal was as "clean" as all of Donny's deep pocket "Friends" have been advertising! So just why are they spending billions trying to convince America that coal is "clean" instead of paying scientists to figure out ways to make it clean? And just why is Blankenship blowing all this cash on a lie-fest while hiring teams of corporate lawyers beat out folks whose lives he's ruined by polluting?
The fact is that anti-pollution regs which could stop mountaintop removal altogether would actually put more folks to work if only our political leaders were willing to enforce them.
photo by One Citizen - Charleston, WV
At WV's real Labor Day celebration the emphasis was on health care benefits.
Fortunately, Van Jones will have no problem finding a new job. Unfortunately, if his vision to diversify our economy is diminished in the process, it will be even harder for laid off coal miners to find new jobs.
Today is our celebration of the Labor Movement and the value of the workers who built and continue to maintain America. As a holiday, it has an interesting political history and looking at the 127 years it has been celebrated we see stark changes that have been made in the relationship between the government and labor.
By Clem Guttata - Originally published on Monday, Sept 3, 2007
David Sirota offers his "must-reads for anyone wishing to understand unions and the labor movement":
- Labor's Untold Story: Put out by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, this is like a bible of the labor movement. It's been around for years, and remains one of the most important works out there. You'll read this book and realize what a sham your high school history books really are - because as the title says, this story truly is untold.
- Which Side Are You On?: One of the best books I've ever read, both for the sheer talent of its author and for the journey it takes the reader on. Author Thomas Geoghegan (who I sincerely believe is one of the top 5 writers in America today) draws on his experience as a labor lawyer to show us through his experiences exactly what challenges face the labor movement in the modern era. Geoghegan's The Secret Lives of Citizens is an unofficial sequel to this book - and it is just as good.
- A People's History of the United States: I almost didn't include this Howard Zinn masterpiece in this list, just because it is so well known that I initially felt that I didn't even have to mention it because everyone knows it.
- The Selling of Free Trade: John R. MacArthur's book is a page-turning look at how labor's agenda is regularly run over and crushed by both parties in Washington. For those who think people like Bill Clinton, Rahm Emanuel, Bill Richardson and the Clintonite machine was/is friends to American workers, reading this book might make you realize how wrong that conclusion really is. Slightly more outdated - but equally compelling - is Bill Greider's Who Will Tell the People?
- John L. Lewis - A Biography: Lewis was probably the most important labor leader in the last 100 years, building up the United Mine Workers into a powerhouse during the 20th century. I have only just started this book, but I have read enough to know it gives you a good sense of why organized labor has been so important to all the things we take for granted now (say, for instance, the weekend) - and why it is no coincidence that the right-wing war on the middle class has accelerated at the very same time organized labor has declined in membership.
Labor Day is an important day in West Virginia and across the country. Founded in 1882 by the dedication of the American labor movement, and made a federal holiday in 1884, Labor Day is a celebration of the American worker. In West Virginia we have long remembered and celebrated this day with events spanning many generations.
Paden City Labor Day Parade
Monday, September 7, 2009: Parade starts at 1:00pm - line-up begins at 12:00pm. For more information, please contact Marshall-Wetzel-Tyler CLC President, Shelva Smith: (304) 845-6002
Marion County AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnics
Sunday, September 6, 2009: Hough Park, Mannington, WV. Event lasts from 12:00pm-4:00pm. For further information contact: Marion County AFL-CIO Labor Council President, Vern Swisher at 304-367-0316
71st Annual UMWA Labor Day Picnic
Monday, September 7, 2009: John Slack Memorial Park, Racine, WV 12:00pm Activities and live entertainment provided. For more information, please contact the UMWA District 17 Headquarters at (304) 346-0341
Ken Ward Jr. does a good job fact checking the U.S. Labor Secretary's visit to a West Virginia coal mining and highlights the issues not focused on by the national media.
The WV Center on Budget and Policy yesterday released a report detailing how the state could draw down federal funding to extend unemployment insurance for people who are exhausting their benefits.
This would be a good thing to do since unemployment is likey to get worse even if the "green shoots" of a recovery start to grow.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allows states to extend benefits by up to 20 weeks by temporarily changing the way the unemployment rate is calculated, but--there is always a BUT--this has to be done by the end of the year, which means a special session of the legislature.
To do it right, access to benefits should be made retroactive to June of this year. Again, taking this step would cost the state nothing, would help over 6,000 WV workers weather the storm and would inject over $30 million into the local economy.
If this makes sense to you, please consider raising this issue with the governor and the legislature. The clock is ticking.
Cecil Roberts and Daniel J. Kane have secured re-election as United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President and International Secretary-Treasurer (respectively).
The Southwestern District Labor Council, AFL-CIO will be hosting its 3rd part in a series of three Town Hall Meetings. This meeting deals with the modification to the National Labor Relations Act, known as the Employee Free Choice Act.
We have assembled a panel to provide information, discuss and answer questions pertaining to this important piece of legislation. This is a public forum and in keeping with the two previous meetings we have taken the liberty to invite many of our state county and municipal leaders to attend and interact. We appreciate those who have attended the previous two Town Hall meetings.
Please forward this message to all you local unions and be there with your members to be a part of this important if not historic meeting.
Date of Event: Saturday, July 11, 2009
Place: Marshall University Student Center
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Continental Breakfast provided so get there early between 9-9:30 to meet and greet friends.
Questions please feel free to contact Tim Millne, Secretary Treasurer.
May 2009 unemployment figures announced. Here are the numbers for West Virginia:
LABOR FORCE DATA LABOR FORCE DATA
NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
Table 1. Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and metropolitan area
(Numbers in thousands)
Unemployed
Civilian labor force
State and area Number Percent of labor force
April May April May April May
2008 2009 2008 2009p 2008 2009 2008 2009p 2008 2009 2008 2009p
West Virginia........................... 810.1 793.0 813.2 796.0 33.6 62.8 33.9 67.7 4.1 7.9 4.2 8.5
Charleston............................ 140.7 137.2 140.6 137.5 5.0 9.4 5.0 10.3 3.6 6.9 3.6 7.5
Huntington-Ashland.................... 132.2 131.4 132.3 132.4 5.8 9.7 6.5 10.6 4.4 7.4 4.9 8.0
Morgantown............................ 63.7 62.2 64.6 62.5 1.8 3.1 1.9 3.4 2.8 4.9 2.9 5.4
Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna........... 79.6 79.4 79.8 79.5 3.6 7.4 3.7 7.5 4.5 9.3 4.7 9.5
Wheeling.............................. 69.0 68.6 69.0 68.5 3.3 5.9 3.3 5.9 4.8 8.6 4.8 8.6
For all of West Virginia, 3,000 people joined the civilian labor force (May 2009 projected of 796,000 less April 2009 of 793,000) and the number unemployed rose 4,900 from 62,800 to 67,700.
Charleston (+ 0.6%), Huntington-Ashland (+ 0.6%) and Morgantown (+ 0.5%) all saw large single-month increases in unemployment--pacing the state overall gain of 0.6% to 8.5% unemployment.
The already hard-hit areas of Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna (0.2%) and Wheeling (unchanged) saw relatively small changes in unemployment compared to the rest of the state.
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