On February 23, members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) staged a one-day walkout at the mine, 40 miles from here, to protest the firing of their coworker on charges of insubordination.

Less than eight hours into the strike, the mine's owner, Drummond Co., began calling the next shift to inform workers they should not come in; the mine was closed down.

Drummond kept the miners out of work for five days, then reopened the mine. The fired worker is back on the job.

The Shoal Creek facility is the only Drummond mine left in Alabama after the company shut down its other operations. It is one of six UMWA-organized mines remaining in the state.

Editor's note: A headline in the March 13 Militant, "Miners strike in Alabama over closures," inaccurately described the reason for the strike, which-- as explained in the article-- was in response to the firing, not mine closures.  
 
 
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