Retirees in wheel chairs lined up on the first row as the marchers arrived in front of the courthouse. Secretary-Treasurer Kane announced that he had heard that a former UMWA local union president, Steve Cousins, had just passed away, and he asked for a moment of silence in his memory.
Again, the demonstrators were reminded that the police were there to do their jobs and that we were there in an act of civil disobedience, to peacefully be arrested. As strains of "Amazing Grace" rose above the crowd, President Roberts led the 15 activists into the street to sit, and they submitted to arrest. The crowd cheered.
As a solemn rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" played over the loudspeakers, the congregation turned their backs on the courthouse and walked away. The fight goes on.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
President Roberts: 'You Are the Spark'
President Cecil Roberts took the stage to cries of "Cecil!" He thanked the crowd, then summoned all the speakers back on the stage.
"This is what it's all about," he said. "The labor movement, civil rights movement, retiree organizations, political allies. We're going to demonstrate why we're going to win this fight."
Roberts then talked about the shareholders meeting that Arch and Peabody held. "They always held their meetings here in St. Louis, but when we came to town, they got out of town!" he said. "They went to Wyoming! The financial capital of the world!" The crowd roared.
Roberts said Mine Workers would hold Peabody and Arch accountable.
"This is not a 'me' effort, this is a 'we' effort," he said, inviting everyone who has been arrested during the campaign to join him on stage, and the stage filled with coal miners and our supporters. He also saluted veterans, maybe half of the people in the crowd.
"The next time someone says the word 'Patriot,' I want you to say these are the 'Patriots.' These are the people who fought the wars. We're going to win this fight because we are standing on the Truth. The Truth, brothers and sisters! The Truth will set you free!"
Invoking scripture, he said, "You cannot steal. You cannot kill. Peabody and Arch are guilty of these sins. With all due respect to the courts, the Supreme Court, to the Congress, to the president of the United States, no one can tell us when this is over," Roberts said. "We will decided when this is over!"
He reminded everyone that the real heroes of the fight "are the people out here, the people in wheelchairs, who've got their oxygen bottles .. and the widows who come because others cannot come. We're marching for those who can't march. We're standing for those who cannot stand. We're fighting for those who cannot fight."
"This is a simple story," he continued. "The lawyers who make $1,000 an hour want to make it complicated. The executives at Peabody, they want to make it complicated. But this is simple. You are the heroes and they are the villains. This is about angels and devils. You are the angels and they are the devils. So this is not complicated.
"They made promises. If you have a heart attack, they said, we will pay your health care bills for life. I know that in the corporate world, promises don't mean anything. I was born three miles up a hollow, and when you promised someone something, you have given your word. We're teaching these corporate guys about keeping promises."
"I tell you when this will end," he declared. "This will end when justice has been served."
Roberts said Peabody and Arch never thought we'd come back, and everyone would be standing with us. He compared our fight to that of Rosa Parks and other African-Americans who stood up for what is right. "They said, 'We're not going to stand for this any more,' and people laughed. But the next thing you know, the buses were empty. The next thing you knew the government stepped in, and we had a movement."
"You are the spark, brothers and sisters," he said. "Ain't nobody going to turn us around," and the crowd joined in the chant. Roberts then went into the crowd with his microphone.
"Remember, Jesus went into the temple to drive out the money changers," he said. "And we eventually will drive the money changers out of this temple. Are you ready to march? Are you ready to march!?" The crowd roared its approval. "We're ready to march," they declared.
Before the crowd began the march to the bankruptcy court, Roberts introduced the 14 activists who had volunteered to be arrested -- including a husband and wife and a father and son. "Fired up!" they declared. And the march began.
"This is what it's all about," he said. "The labor movement, civil rights movement, retiree organizations, political allies. We're going to demonstrate why we're going to win this fight."
Roberts then talked about the shareholders meeting that Arch and Peabody held. "They always held their meetings here in St. Louis, but when we came to town, they got out of town!" he said. "They went to Wyoming! The financial capital of the world!" The crowd roared.
Roberts said Mine Workers would hold Peabody and Arch accountable.
"This is not a 'me' effort, this is a 'we' effort," he said, inviting everyone who has been arrested during the campaign to join him on stage, and the stage filled with coal miners and our supporters. He also saluted veterans, maybe half of the people in the crowd.
"The next time someone says the word 'Patriot,' I want you to say these are the 'Patriots.' These are the people who fought the wars. We're going to win this fight because we are standing on the Truth. The Truth, brothers and sisters! The Truth will set you free!"
Invoking scripture, he said, "You cannot steal. You cannot kill. Peabody and Arch are guilty of these sins. With all due respect to the courts, the Supreme Court, to the Congress, to the president of the United States, no one can tell us when this is over," Roberts said. "We will decided when this is over!"
He reminded everyone that the real heroes of the fight "are the people out here, the people in wheelchairs, who've got their oxygen bottles .. and the widows who come because others cannot come. We're marching for those who can't march. We're standing for those who cannot stand. We're fighting for those who cannot fight."
"This is a simple story," he continued. "The lawyers who make $1,000 an hour want to make it complicated. The executives at Peabody, they want to make it complicated. But this is simple. You are the heroes and they are the villains. This is about angels and devils. You are the angels and they are the devils. So this is not complicated.
"They made promises. If you have a heart attack, they said, we will pay your health care bills for life. I know that in the corporate world, promises don't mean anything. I was born three miles up a hollow, and when you promised someone something, you have given your word. We're teaching these corporate guys about keeping promises."
"I tell you when this will end," he declared. "This will end when justice has been served."
Roberts said Peabody and Arch never thought we'd come back, and everyone would be standing with us. He compared our fight to that of Rosa Parks and other African-Americans who stood up for what is right. "They said, 'We're not going to stand for this any more,' and people laughed. But the next thing you know, the buses were empty. The next thing you knew the government stepped in, and we had a movement."
"You are the spark, brothers and sisters," he said. "Ain't nobody going to turn us around," and the crowd joined in the chant. Roberts then went into the crowd with his microphone.
"Remember, Jesus went into the temple to drive out the money changers," he said. "And we eventually will drive the money changers out of this temple. Are you ready to march? Are you ready to march!?" The crowd roared its approval. "We're ready to march," they declared.
Before the crowd began the march to the bankruptcy court, Roberts introduced the 14 activists who had volunteered to be arrested -- including a husband and wife and a father and son. "Fired up!" they declared. And the march began.
Rep. Carla May Cheered
Rep. Carla May, a member of CWA and the St. Louis Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, says she takes her sense of justice to her job as a Missouri state representative, promising to "stand with workers. We have to realize today that we are one. We can not fall one without the other. We must be committed to stand together against Peabody and Patriot."
"All across America, we must stand together," she said.
Talking about union-busting efforts in Missouri, she said, "I want you to know that we were able to defeat those people trying to pass right-to-work laws in our state. And we are going to stand together to beat Peabody."
"Corporations want to dump their liabilities after workers built their companies. We are the backbone of the companies, and they have failed us," she said. "We're upset about that and we're marching today to say 'We're not going to take it anymore.'"
She then led a chant of "Fired Up! We're Ready to Go!"
Pledging to end "corporate welfare," she said, "we need to let people know that unions are on their side. They are the only organized entity that fights for the rights of workers." The crowd roared it's approval.
"If it wasn't for labor, we would not have health care. If it wasn't for labor we wouldn't have higher wages. We cannot let corporations off the hook. They must pay their fair share. If we show up to work every day, they need to show up with our paycheck and our benefits."
"That's why we have 'scales of justice.' If it's out of balance, it's not justice. We need fairness."
Rep. May said she would help take the message across the country. "America is the greatest union ever formed. We are a union. This threat by Peabody and Arch goes to the heart of who we are as a people. They want people to work for nothing, but I want you to know I'm standing with you. We're going to change these bankruptcy laws, so corporations can't rake workers."
The crowd chanted "UMWA" as she left the stage.
"All across America, we must stand together," she said.
Talking about union-busting efforts in Missouri, she said, "I want you to know that we were able to defeat those people trying to pass right-to-work laws in our state. And we are going to stand together to beat Peabody."
"Corporations want to dump their liabilities after workers built their companies. We are the backbone of the companies, and they have failed us," she said. "We're upset about that and we're marching today to say 'We're not going to take it anymore.'"
She then led a chant of "Fired Up! We're Ready to Go!"
Pledging to end "corporate welfare," she said, "we need to let people know that unions are on their side. They are the only organized entity that fights for the rights of workers." The crowd roared it's approval.
"If it wasn't for labor, we would not have health care. If it wasn't for labor we wouldn't have higher wages. We cannot let corporations off the hook. They must pay their fair share. If we show up to work every day, they need to show up with our paycheck and our benefits."
"That's why we have 'scales of justice.' If it's out of balance, it's not justice. We need fairness."
Rep. May said she would help take the message across the country. "America is the greatest union ever formed. We are a union. This threat by Peabody and Arch goes to the heart of who we are as a people. They want people to work for nothing, but I want you to know I'm standing with you. We're going to change these bankruptcy laws, so corporations can't rake workers."
The crowd chanted "UMWA" as she left the stage.
'Who Can Be Against Us?'
The Rev. John Stratton of the St. Louis Episcopal diocese praised the miners for continuing to return to the city to fight for what is right. "I'm here to encourage you to keep up the good fight, never give up, because God is on our side. Who can be against us?"
He reminded the congregation of the tale that Jesus told his disciples, about a judge in a city who did not fear others. When a woman came to him and said she had been wronged and she deserved better. At first the judge did not listen to her but she did not give up.
"Because she did not give up, because she kept coming back, he had to listen. And she won. She did not give up, like us. Who can be against us?"
Then he extended the parable as a story of a widow of a Peabody miner who was wronged. "Now she's here, knocking on Peabody's door saying this ain't right, we deserve better! And she is joined by priests and rabbis and ministers and we are all knocking on Peabody's door saying 'this ain't right. We deserve better.'"
"As long as she is knocking, I'll be knocking with her. Because God is on our side. We can't give up." The crowd roared!
He reminded the congregation of the tale that Jesus told his disciples, about a judge in a city who did not fear others. When a woman came to him and said she had been wronged and she deserved better. At first the judge did not listen to her but she did not give up.
"Because she did not give up, because she kept coming back, he had to listen. And she won. She did not give up, like us. Who can be against us?"
Then he extended the parable as a story of a widow of a Peabody miner who was wronged. "Now she's here, knocking on Peabody's door saying this ain't right, we deserve better! And she is joined by priests and rabbis and ministers and we are all knocking on Peabody's door saying 'this ain't right. We deserve better.'"
"As long as she is knocking, I'll be knocking with her. Because God is on our side. We can't give up." The crowd roared!
'Coal Miner's Daughter' Rallies Crowd
Barbara Easterling, president of the Alliance for Retired Americans and former secretary-treasurer of the CWA and the AFL-CIO, announced "there's nothing I'm more proud of than being a coal miner's daughter," bringing a roar from the crowd.
"I learned about hard work from my father, and also about courage and solidarity, watching people walk picket lines and stand up for their union, trying to bring justice and fairness to one of the toughest jobs," she said. "What Peabody is doing is absolutely criminal," she said. "They're using our bankruptcy laws as a license to steal."
For over 60 years Peabody kept promises for the hard work that miners do, she said, "and then greed got in the way. The whole fraud of creating Patriot Coal makes me sick. It's a scam dreamed up by corporate lawyers. And then they have the nerve to call the company 'Patriot.'"
She called the coal executives the "poster children for corporate greed. Where did the money go? We know $7 million went to executive bonuses."
"Martin Luther King said 'Our freedom ends when we are silent,'" she said. "We're not going to remain silent!" The crowd roared. "It's the height of arrogance to treat your workers the way they are treating you. We're here today to live up to the dreams of our parents and grandparents. We're here to ensure that we will not be silent in the face of greed."
Easterling promised to stand with miners against the powerful forces arrayed against us. "We are union," she said, "and we're going to win!"
"I learned about hard work from my father, and also about courage and solidarity, watching people walk picket lines and stand up for their union, trying to bring justice and fairness to one of the toughest jobs," she said. "What Peabody is doing is absolutely criminal," she said. "They're using our bankruptcy laws as a license to steal."
For over 60 years Peabody kept promises for the hard work that miners do, she said, "and then greed got in the way. The whole fraud of creating Patriot Coal makes me sick. It's a scam dreamed up by corporate lawyers. And then they have the nerve to call the company 'Patriot.'"
She called the coal executives the "poster children for corporate greed. Where did the money go? We know $7 million went to executive bonuses."
"Martin Luther King said 'Our freedom ends when we are silent,'" she said. "We're not going to remain silent!" The crowd roared. "It's the height of arrogance to treat your workers the way they are treating you. We're here today to live up to the dreams of our parents and grandparents. We're here to ensure that we will not be silent in the face of greed."
Easterling promised to stand with miners against the powerful forces arrayed against us. "We are union," she said, "and we're going to win!"
Rally Opens With Pledge
Secretary-Treasurer Dan Kane opened the rally, introducing brother Billy Smith to lead the crowd in the pledge of allegiance. As the congregation bowed their heads in prayer, they remembered the lost lives in the Oklahoma tornado the previous day.
Kane then welcomed everyone and acknowledged the many UMWA district leaders who had joined the rally, then other supporters from other unions, labor councils and religious groups. The CWA is here, along with the Steelworkers, Laborers, Iron Workers and UNITE HERE Vice President Bob Proto. Also, members of the Auto Workers have joined us, as well as SEIU, FOP, Painters, Carpenters and many others, including doctors from Physicians for a National Health Care Program.
Representatives from the Alliance for Retired Americans showed up, as well as Jobs With Justice, National Consumers League, Rebuild the Dream and other community supporters. Kane also thanked elected leaders who came in support. "We need legislation now more than ever," he declared.
Kane reminded everyone that the police are here to do their jobs, and they've been courteous throughout our visits to the city. "They don't tell us how to mine coal and we don't tell them what to do. Don't make trouble for the police. They're doing their job." He said 14 individuals have volunteered to be arrested today, and no one else should try to get arrested.
Kane compared the storm threatening the health and lives of Mine Workers with the tornado that hit Oklahoma the day before. "The people of Oklahoma didn't do anything to deserve what happened to them yesterday, and we didn't do anything to deserve this either," he told the crowd. "We've got solidarity and that's all we need to win the day."
Kane then welcomed everyone and acknowledged the many UMWA district leaders who had joined the rally, then other supporters from other unions, labor councils and religious groups. The CWA is here, along with the Steelworkers, Laborers, Iron Workers and UNITE HERE Vice President Bob Proto. Also, members of the Auto Workers have joined us, as well as SEIU, FOP, Painters, Carpenters and many others, including doctors from Physicians for a National Health Care Program.
Representatives from the Alliance for Retired Americans showed up, as well as Jobs With Justice, National Consumers League, Rebuild the Dream and other community supporters. Kane also thanked elected leaders who came in support. "We need legislation now more than ever," he declared.
Kane reminded everyone that the police are here to do their jobs, and they've been courteous throughout our visits to the city. "They don't tell us how to mine coal and we don't tell them what to do. Don't make trouble for the police. They're doing their job." He said 14 individuals have volunteered to be arrested today, and no one else should try to get arrested.
Kane compared the storm threatening the health and lives of Mine Workers with the tornado that hit Oklahoma the day before. "The people of Oklahoma didn't do anything to deserve what happened to them yesterday, and we didn't do anything to deserve this either," he told the crowd. "We've got solidarity and that's all we need to win the day."
Looking Up
Thousands of Mine Workers and their supporters are looking toward the heavens this morning as we prepare to gather in Kiener Plaza and march to the federal courthouse. It's overcast but pleasant in St. Louis and we're hoping to get in our march and rally before thunderstorms roll in from the west, part of the unsettled weather that spawned the massive tornado in Oklahoma yesterday.
Naturally, our members figure God is on our side as we prepare to protest the scheme by Peabody Energy and Arch Coal to dump their health care obligations to active and retired miners by creating a shell company called Patriot Coal -- a company designed to fail, according to Bruce Rader, professor of Finance at Temple University. Patriot is in bankruptcy court, but we're showing that Peabody and Arch are morally bankruptcy, found guilty in the court of public opinion.
We expect UMWA President Cecil Roberts and Secretary-Treasurer Dan Kane to be joined by labor and political officials, including Barbara Easterling, president of the Alliance for Retired Americans and the former secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO; Bob Soutier, president of St Louis area Central Labor Council, Missouri state Reps. Jeff Roorda and Carla May, and the Rev. John Stratton of the Episcopal diocese of St. Louis.
You can tune into the rally on live stream, beginning at 10 a.m. EDT here.
Naturally, our members figure God is on our side as we prepare to protest the scheme by Peabody Energy and Arch Coal to dump their health care obligations to active and retired miners by creating a shell company called Patriot Coal -- a company designed to fail, according to Bruce Rader, professor of Finance at Temple University. Patriot is in bankruptcy court, but we're showing that Peabody and Arch are morally bankruptcy, found guilty in the court of public opinion.
We expect UMWA President Cecil Roberts and Secretary-Treasurer Dan Kane to be joined by labor and political officials, including Barbara Easterling, president of the Alliance for Retired Americans and the former secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO; Bob Soutier, president of St Louis area Central Labor Council, Missouri state Reps. Jeff Roorda and Carla May, and the Rev. John Stratton of the Episcopal diocese of St. Louis.
You can tune into the rally on live stream, beginning at 10 a.m. EDT here.
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