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   Vol.64/No. 16           April 24, 2000 
 
 
Miners call May 17 rally in Washington  
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BY JAMES VINCENT  
PITTSBURGH--The mine workers union has called a national rally for May 17 to pressure Congress to pass legislation to fund the union's ailing retirees health-care plan.

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) rally will take place in Washington, D.C., and begin at 12:00 noon. The legislation, "Coal Accountability and Retired Employee Act for the 21st Century," or CARE 21, was introduced by several congressmen at the end of March.

Without emergency health-care funds, medical care for about 70,000 coal miners will be put in jeopardy. UMWA president, Cecil Roberts, said he "pledges to rally the entire UMWA membership behind CARE 21 and do whatever else is necessary to ensure this important legislation is passed on Capitol Hill." In a press release Roberts said he hopes the rally will "expedite the political process."

The bill calls for transferring $172 million into the UMWA's Combined Benefit Fund.

The union kicked off the drive in West Virginia April 1 at Teamsters Local 175 headquarters in Kanawha City.  
 
 
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