A year into striking, Alabama coal miners are frustrated but defiant as ever
https://wbhm.org/2022/a-year-i...but-defiant-as-ever/
The strikers demand that Warrior Met Coal, the company they’re striking against, restore the pay and benefits miners gave up in 2016 when the mines were in danger of shutting down.
As the months crawled on, the miners stuck with a slogan — “one day longer.” As in, they’re willing to hold out on this strike one day longer than Warrior Met Coal will. But a year without their old paychecks has caused a few workers to cross the picket line. The hundreds that remain still defiantly say “one day longer,” though they admit that it requires deep sacrifice and it’s building resentment.
https://wbhm.org/2022/struggli...e-boost-in-midterms/
But Sanders and Warren have been outliers when it comes to union outreach from Democrats. While President Joe Biden bills himself as the most pro-union president to hold the office, legislation meant to make unionizing easier has stalled and taken a backseat to other priorities.
At the same time, Republicans have been reluctant to side with unions. Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville has defended Warrior Met Coal by saying the company offered high salaries and created 600 jobs since 2016.
Tuberville’s defense of Warrior Met angered union members. Rily Hughlett said he’d no longer vote for the Senator.
Sanders earned Hughlett’s begrudging respect by raising $30,000 for the United Mine Workers of America’s strike fund. That’s been an essential part of keeping striking miners ahead of their bills.
But Hughlett said Democrats still have more work to do to earn his vote.
“They need to do a little more work on it,” Hughlett said. “You can talk all you want to but actions speak louder than words.”