UMW stages protest at Peabody Energy
BY JIM SALTER Associated Press
Thursday, February 14, 2013
2/14/13 at 4:45 AM
ST. LOUIS - Ten people were arrested Wednesday at a protest outside of Peabody Energy headquarters in St. Louis, the second time in two weeks that the United Mine Workers of America organized a huge protest to draw attention to the possible loss of pension and health-care benefits for about 20,000 retired miners and dependents.
About 1,000 people from several states participated in the latest protest over bankrupt Patriot Coal, the company Peabody spun off in November 2007. Many at the protest believe Patriot was set up to fail so that benefits of workers could be stripped away.
"We will not be silent," UMWA Secretary Treasurer Dan Kane said. "We are going to tell the public exactly what they're doing. We want the entire country to know."
After an hour-long rally, Kane and nine other protesters sat in the street in front of Peabody as about 100 police officers stood by. The protest was peaceful, and so were the arrests. Officers placed nylon restraints on the wrists of those in the street, who were led to a van while the other protesters watched, at times singing and chanting.
On Jan. 29, UMWA president Cecil Roberts and nine others were arrested at the same location. Organizers pledged to keep coming back if that's what it takes to maintain the workers' benefits.
Patriot spokeswoman Janine Orf said the cuts are part of the effort to save the St. Louis-based company.
"It's really about our survival, trying to keep Patriot as a viable employer of 4,000 people," Orf said.
Peabody spokesman Vic Svec called it "ludicrous" to believe Peabody could have foreseen the combination of events that led to Patriot's financial troubles.
The union said that about 10,000 retirees and an equal number of dependents, predominantly from West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, could lose pensions and health care benefits through Patriot Coal's bankruptcy.
Original Print Headline: 10 Arrested At Bankruptcy Protest
Associated Images:
Kenny Smith (left) sits in the middle of a street with other members of the United Mine Workers of America during a protest Wednesday outside the of headquarters of Peabody Energy in St. Louis. Ten people were arrested during the protest of bankruptcy proceedings that the union says jeopardizes pension and health-care benefits. JEFF ROBERSON / Associated Press
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