Eastern Railroad Discussion > Coal Miners Block Coal Train to Get Paid

https://www.wymt.com/content/news/Miners-block-coal-from-leaving-Pike-County-mine-after-weeks-without-pay-566949851.html


Victor Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

I'd partake in blocking it to.  Can't blame them for taking an action.  They want their pay.  Sometimes you have to take a stand but you also have to accept the consequences of doing so.  

Nice solution to just pull the power and leave the train.  Doesn't place the railroad union members in the spot of crossing "struck work" by the mine workers (yes, I'm aware there is no strike, but this is a job action).  Self help is a better term.  And sometimes, when no one is there for you, you can only help yourself.
 

Perhaps they will get their pay, get fired, then replaced. Sadly, it could happen that way. I wonder if local law enforcement will side with them if asked to remove them from the property?

A company having a hard time meeting payroll is not a good sign.  I worked for a company having "hard times", but meeting the payroll came first.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/20 14:05 by wabash2800.

govenor needs to get involved and get his wva dept of labor to get there money , 

big money screw the labor , owner is only following the leader way of doing business 

 

wmbrakeman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> govenor needs to get involved and get his wva dept
> of labor to get there money , 
>
> big money screw the labor , owner is only
> following the leader way of doing business 
>
>  

The coal industry owned (and probably still owns) West Virginia.  Isn't Governor Jim Justice a former coal operator? Last guy in WV  I'd expect to see stand up for the miners.


Edited to Add:  Quest Energy is a subsidiary of American  Resources Corporation, whose HQ is outside Indianapolis.  The company bought up failing or bankrupt mines and combined them with other businesses to create new companies.  They have mines in KY WV and IN.

In general, buying a mine out of bankruptcy may limit the new owner's exposure to clean up and remediation, union contracts,  pension obligations and other issues left behind by the old owners.

http://www.americanresourcescorp.com/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/20 19:26 by Lackawanna484.

wmbrakeman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> govenor needs to get involved and get his wva dept
> of labor to get there money , 
>
> big money screw the labor , owner is only
> following the leader way of doing business 

Isn't the mine in Pike County, Kentucky?

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wmbrakeman Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > govenor needs to get involved and get his wva
> dept
> > of labor to get there money , 
> >
> > big money screw the labor , owner is only
> > following the leader way of doing business 
>
> Isn't the mine in Pike County, Kentucky?

Yes, somewhere around Kimper....would have been worked most likely by a Shelby shifter. 

Sounds like the local government official is attempting to get the US Department of Labor invovled for the screw job the company is giving the employees. I hope the government comes down hard on these companies (I know others do the same thing in other industries).