Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
The Mine Workers (UMWA) at Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama, continue to strike, with another rally on Wednesday. UMWA, led by President Cecil Roberts, has been providing support and comfort to the members of locals 2245, 2397, 2368 and 2427, who have been on strike since April 1. The 1,100 coal miners are fighting for improvements to wages and benefits after they made concessions in the last contract with Warrior Met in 2016. Roberts recently spoke in an interview about the efforts, which include ongoing rallies, other locals providing support for families with strike pantries, and the Alabama Strike Fest, a May 22 concert in Brookwood that featured comedians Drew Morgan and D.J. Lewis, Mike Cooley of the band Drive-By Truckers, and Birmingham gospel punks Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires. While the struggle continues, the coal miners in Brookwood know that UMWA has their back.