On May 2, four of the coal strikers from the Huntington mine, known as Co-Op, spoke at the UMWA Local 1984 meeting in Rangely, Colorado. This local organizes coal miners at the Deserado mine, who had walked out for two months in 1999. Local 1984 has supported the Co-Op strikers with a shipment of food, financial donations, and by sending representatives to take part in solidarity rallies in Huntington.

This was the first time, however, that the Co-Op miners had addressed the local. Strikers Jesús Salazar, Ana Maria Sánchez, Alyson Kennedy, and Bill Estrada spoke and answered questions from Local 1984 members. The Deserado miners said their contract with Blue Mountain Energy expires in July. After thanking the local for its support, the Co-Op miners offered their help if the Deserado miners go on strike. Local 1984 members passed around the hat and made donations to help the strikers with gas money.

Closer to Huntington, in the town of East Carbon, UMWA Local 9958, which is made up of retirees, has led by example in supporting the Co-Op strike. This local has mobilized its members to set up food drops in front of local stores and help staff the picket line at the Co-Op mine entrance. Retirees from this local were also part of the delegation that met with Department of Transportation and the Bureau of Land Management officials in Price, Utah, last month to help the Co-Op miners retain their right to continue picketing with a picket trailer and shack.

Two Co-Op strikers updated Local 9958 members at their May 3 meeting about their struggle.

“We thanked them for everything they have done for us,” said Gonzalo Salazar, a leader of the Co-Op strike, in an interview. “They said they are very proud of what we are doing by standing up to the Kingstons and said we can keep counting on their support.” The local told the strikers they would organize to put boxes in front of local stores to collect food and financial donations.

The Kingston clan is a multimillionaire family in Utah that own businesses across six western states, including the Co-Op mine. In addition to the super-exploitation of the Co-Op miners, the Kingstons are infamous for being a polygamous clan with several of its prominent members convicted for physical abuse of young female members of the family who tried to escape forced marriages with relatives.

The 75 Co-Op miners were fired to a person on Sept. 22, 2003, for protesting the suspension of a co-worker and unsafe conditions on the job. The miners had been having meetings with the UMWA to get themselves organized into a real union, unlike a company “union” the bosses had set up to prevent the workers from being organized. These underground coal miners were being paid between $5.15 and $7.00 an hour with no benefits, while the average wage in the industry for such jobs is $15 per hour.

On May 5, three other Co-Op strikers spoke before UMWA Local 9959, which represents workers at the local landfill in East Carbon. The first time the strikers addressed these unionists in October 2003, the small local donated $1,000. Strikers Domingo Olivas, Juan Salazar, and Bill Estrada told the local how strong the strike is after more than seven months and how their support is still needed.

“We described for them the growing support we have around the country,” said Bill Estrada. “We also gave them copies of newspaper articles covering recent activities that we have organized.” Estrada said that after asking several questions on the strike, the local decided to help the strikers by organizing a cookout at the picket line and invite other miners and people in the surrounding communities to raise funds for the strike.

A day earlier, on May 4, Bishop George Niederauer, the head of the Salt Lake Catholic Diocese, visited the Co-Op picket line. The San Rafael Mission Catholic Church in Huntington and the Salt Lake Diocese have backed the strike from the beginning. Members of the Catholic Church throughout Utah have donated to a fund that is used to help pay the utility bills and rents of the strikers.

“I drove two hours to come here and two hours back,” Niederauer told 25 strikers and their families. “But you sacrifice day after day.” The Catholic Church backs the strike, he said, and will work even harder to support the miners. That evening the bishop spoke to 100 people who attended a Mass and dinner at the San Rafael Mission Catholic Church held to support the Co-Op strikers.

Contributions to the striking miners can be sent to: UMWA District 22, 525 East 100 South, Price, Utah 84501. Checks should be earmarked “Co-Op Miners Fund.”  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home