United Steelworkers of America (USWA) members at the FMC and General Chemical trona mines in nearby Green River, Wyoming, have sent contributions of food and money to UMWA Local 1307 in Kemmerer. At the FMC mine, the 854 workers who are members of USWA Local 13214 are themselves in the middle of contract negotiations. Their contract expires June 30.

Strikers at the McKinley mine, UMWA Local 1332, are getting support from the New Mexico AFL-CIO. Local president Lawrence Oliver told the Gallup Independent June 16 that "shipments of pallets of bottled water, canned and packaged goods arrived Saturday and Thursday.... Another shipment, this one from the Arizona AFL-CIO, will arrive at the local's office in Tse Bonito on Monday."

News of the strikes is beginning to spread to other parts of the country. The Illinois Black Lung Association sent a letter of solidarity June 18 to the two locals on strike. It stated, in part, "Miners here are facing the same kinds of company demands for longer hours and attacks on pensions and medical benefits. We are behind you 100%."

Pittsburg and Midway (P&M) Coal Co. has been owned by Chevron since 1984. It operates five mines in the United States besides McKinley and Kemmerer--York Canyon in Raton, New Mexico, Farco Mine in Laredo, Texas, and North River mine in Alabama. About 90 percent of P&M coal is sold to electric utilities. In 1998 Chevron announced plans to sell the remaining five mines as part of a plan to get out of the coal business and center on oil, gas, and chemicals. This is part of a trend by other large oil companies.

Messages of solidarity and donations to Local 1332 can be sent to: P.O. Box 3750, Window Rock, AZ 86515. To contact the Kemmerer strikers write: UMWA Local 1307, P.O. Box 261, Diamondville, WY 83116.  
 
 
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