In the latest case, Murray was seeking NLRB agreement with his claim that UMWA members laid off from three Ohio North American Coal Corporation mines were not entitled to "panel rights"--a hiring list based on seniority--at the Powhatan mine.

"The UMWA has said all along that the North American Coal miners had rights to new jobs at the Powhatan mine," explained UMWA international secretary-treasurer Carlo Tarley. "Murray signed three contracts containing language that said that they did. Then when it came time to start hiring at Powhatan, Murray changed his tune."

Murray's Ohio Valley Coal purchased the Powhatan mine from North American Coal. The fight with Murray to enforce these panel rights was one of the issues raised at a July 24 rally of more than 400 miners and supporters at Powhatan Point in Ohio. Speaking at that rally, Tarley said the union was rejecting Murray's advice to "dump the old guys." "We will not be a party to age discrimination," he said.

Murray has been responding to the union campaign with full-page newspaper ads in Ohio and Pennsylvania papers. The ad in Ohio claims that "all of the alleged issues against Mr. Murray and Ohio Valley [Coal] have been fabricated by the UMWA," and that they have been "loyal to their employees, keeping every promise."

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported May 6 that Murray "has a labor shortage at the No. 6 mine but said he can't afford to fill the positions with middle-aged workers laid off from other UMWA mines because they come with costly health and pension benefits."

Tony Lane is a member of United Mine Workers of America Local 1248 at the Maple Creek mine.  
 
 
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