Labor Dept. to coal mine owners: Pay black lung victims' claims, then appeal
The old appeal policy left hundreds of thousands of coal miners, disabled from black lung disease, usually without a penny of benefits before they died.
Today in labor history: The murder of Fannie Sellins
William Z. Foster, leader of the great steel strike of 1919, called Sellins one of the best of a whole corps of organizers, with an exceptional belief in the workers.
The Ludlow Massacre: Never to be forgotten!
The tragic, brutal and deadly attack on striking miners and their families shocked, saddened and outraged working people and most Americans.
Miners reach retiree settlement with Patriot Coal
TRIANGLE, Va.- The United Mine Workers of America has reached a global settlement with Peabody Energy and Patriot Coal that will provide funding of more than $400 million to cover future health care benefits for retirees affected by the bankruptcy of Patriot Coal.
Today in labor history: Labor journalist Mary Heaton Vorse is born
She reported on the Lawrence textile strike, the steel strike of 1919, the textile workers strike of 1934, and coal strikes in Harlan County, Kentucky. After reporting on the Loray Mill strike in Gastonia, N. C., in 1929, she wrote her famous novel, "Strike!"
Senator: Coal mine owners treat workers as "property"
WASHINGTON (PAI)-The nation's coal mine owners "so victimize" their workers that the workers "come as close to being property as anyone I can imagine," a leading congressional advocate for the miners says.
Sixteen arrested in W.Va. after 11,000 march on Patriot Coal
The actions, organized by UMWA, were in support of the union's campaign to save health care for retired miners and win better wages, benefits and working conditions for miners on the job.
Today in labor history: Miners win landmark 1897 strike
On Sept. 11, 1897, thousands of coal miners ended a 10-week strike after winning an eight-hour day, semi-monthly pay, and abolition of company stores.
