CWA Demands Fairness at Patriot Coal

After an hour-long rally in front of Peabody Coal’s downtown headquarters, protesters marched six blocks to the federal courthouse where the company's bankruptcy case was being heard. (Fairness at Patriot)

Sixteen protesters blocked the street in front of the courthouse and were peacefully arrested.
(Fairness at Patriot)

CWA President Larry Cohen was led away in cuffs, along with UMWA President Cecil Roberts, National Consumers League Executive Director Sally Greenberg, Rebuild the Dream President Van Jones, Rev. David Gerth of St. Louis and 11 active and retired UMWA members. (Fairness at Patriot)

CWA President Larry Cohen and scores of CWA activists joined more than 6,000 coal miners, their families and supporters from across the country in St. Louis on Monday to protest Patriot Coal's motion to cut health benefits for 10,000 retired miners in federal bankruptcy court.

“Our union will absolutely take this fight on as our fight,” Cohen said. “We will find ways to be out here by the tens of thousands. We absolutely understand that if the courts of this country can do this, they can do anything.”

It was the latest in a series of protests from New York to Charleston, W. Va., to St. Louis since Patriot declared bankruptcy in July.

At issue is the actions taken by both Arch Coal and Peabody Energy to offload their obligations to retired miners and surviving spouses by creating a new company, Patriot Coal, in 2007. With 43 percent of Peabody’s retiree obligations, but just 11 percent of its assets, it's no surprise Patriot filed for bankruptcy protection. UMWA charges that it was “designed to fail.”

Now thousands of retirees — suffering illnesses and injuries caused by their work in the mines, including black lung, cancer and crippling injuries — could lose their health care coverage if Patriot is able to shed the obligations as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring.

Read more here:

Miners rally in bid to protect retiree health benefits
— St. Louis Post Dispatch

Coal miners protest outside Peabody Energy Corp. and Federal Courthouse in St. Louis (PHOTOS)
— St. Louis Post Dispatch

Thousands Protest Peabody Energy, Arch Coal in St. Louis; Sixeteen Arrested
— Riverfront Times

Patriot, coal miners square off over benefits
— Reuters

16 arrested including a Reverend as thousands protest Patriot Coal hearing
— Associated Press

Arrests made at Union Mine Workers of America rally
— KSKD

16 arrested at rally outside Patriot Coal hearing
— St. Louis Business Journal

Protesters Return To St. Louis As Patriot Coal Health Benefits Case Continues
— St. Louis Public Radio