The Militant (logo)  
   Vol. 69/No. 38           October 3, 2005  
 
 
United Farm Workers president backs ‘Militant’
in fight to defeat retaliatory suit by Utah coal bosses
 
C.W. Mining, owner of the Co-Op coal mine in Huntington, Utah, and its associated International Association of United Workers Union filed an anti-union harassment lawsuit in September 2004. The case against the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), individual Co-Op miners, and other unions and newspapers that have supported or reported on this union-organizing battle is now in federal court in Salt Lake City. The Militant Fighting Fund was launched to help defend the Militant, a prominent target of the suit because of its regular coverage of the miners’ side of the story. Donations and endorsements for the Militant Fighting Fund can be sent to P.O. Box 520994, Salt Lake City, UT 84152-0994. Materials on the case are posted at www.themilitant.com.

BY FRANK FORRESTAL  
DELANO, California—The Militant Fighting Fund got a boost September 17 when Arturo Rodríguez, president of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, became an endorser. “Let me take care of this right now,” said Rodríguez, as he signed an endorser card.

Supporters of the Militant Fighting Fund discussed C.W. Mining’s retaliatory lawsuit with many of those attending the UFW-sponsored event, commemorating the Delano grape strike 40 years ago. That strike was a milestone in the battle to win contracts from growers in the vast California agricultural fields.

Many of those approached about the Militant Fighting Fund were interested in aiding the effort to beat back C.W. Mining’s lawsuit.

BY JOHN HAWKINS  
WASHINGTON—Supporters of the Militant Fighting Fund received a warm response from many of the more than 100 activists and officials who attended a four-day conference of the United Latinos of UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers), September 7-11 here. Many were already aware of the struggle by Co-Op miners for UMWA representation, and knew about the harassment lawsuit against the miners, UMWA, and newspapers like the Militant that have been dragged into court for reporting the miners’ side of the story. Significant new support for the Militant Fighting Fund was garnered at the conference. This includes endorsement from the two national union organizations: the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, AFL-CIO; and the United Food and Commercial Workers Minority Coalition. Also, Donald Cash, Jr., business agent for UFCW Local 400 based in the Washington, D.C., area signed on as endorsers of the Militant Fighting Fund.

BY BETSEY STONE  
SAN FRANCISCO—Supporters of the Militant Fighting Fund met recently with Phil Salgado, secretary-treasurer of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 428 in San Jose. After discussing the fight against the C.W. Mining lawsuit, Salgado said he would bring the information before the executive board of the local. The union body later endorsed the Militant Fighting Fund on behalf of the local and sent a $200 contribution.

Local 428 represents 10,000 grocery clerks, meat packers, workers in food processing plants, and others in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties.  
 
 
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