The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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    UMWA
November 10, 2009

Make voices heard

UMWA president speaks to Beckley audience

By Michelle James

United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts spoke at the South Central Labor Council, WV AFL-CIO, meeting in Beckley Tuesday night, encouraging members to make their voices heard supporting issues he says are pivotal to all.

Health care and the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act were among the top of Roberts’ speaking points.

“The issue about health care is disgraceful that in the most powerful country on earth, 47 million don’t have health care,” he said. “Every person in this country should have health care.”

Passage of the EFCA, Roberts said, would allow all employees to join unions, making health care concerns a thing of the past.

“If you had a right to join a union, this problem with health care would go away,” he said, telling members they needed to get “reinvigorated and re-energized.”

“Almost every problem plaguing working people can be resolved by passing the Employee Free Choice Act and creating collective bargaining in every workplace in West Virginia,” he continued. “I say that’s what we need to do.”

Roberts also urged members to be diligent in their support of Congressman Nick Rahall, who he says will be a target during the 2010 election.

“The mood out there now is kick every incumbent out,” Roberts said, expressing concern for Rahall.

“He’s been the best friend working-class people have had since the day he walked in that office,” he continued, explaining Rahall has fought for health care, safety and jobs. “I intend to fight for Nick Joe Rahall with every breath in my body because he has fought for coal miners and working-class people with every breath in his body since he’s been here.”

Roberts challenged members to begin immediately efforts to make their voices heard, supporting issues they believe are important and in being vocal in their support of Rahall.

“So next year, the question is going to be, do you think you can get fired up one more time,” Roberts said, telling the crowd that grassroots efforts are the most important since they are the ones that influence decisions at the top. “This is where the action is. This is where it’s going to happen.

“Do you think you can get fired up one more time?”

Rich Acord, local president of the National Association of Letter Carriers and vice president of the South Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, said he believed Roberts’ speech would help create a united front.

“The power is in the numbers,” he said. “One of us on our own is not very powerful, but when you bring everybody together, it makes a difference.”

— E-mail: mjames@register-herald.com

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