Since late October 2021, UMWA members have gathered in front of BlackRock headquarters in New York City in an effort to keep the pressure on the largest shareholder in Warrior Met Coal.
BlackRock is one of several hedge funds that own shares in Warrior Met Coal, holding 13 percent.
The UMWA held rallies in front of the BlackRock headquarters on June 22nd, July 28th, November 4th, and November 18th, which were held in conjunction with various other venues across the country, in what was dubbed as the UMWA’s International Day of Action.
IN ADDITION TO THE FOUR LARGE RALLIES HELD AT THE DOORSTEPS OF BLACK-ROCK, UMWA MEMBERS HAVE KEPT THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN TO BLACKROCK BY PICKETING IN FRONT OF THEIR OFFICE BUILDING EACH WEEK, HANDING OUT LEAFLETS TO PASSERSBY AND HOLDING SIGNS TO BRING AWARENESS TO OUR HARDWORKING MEMBERS, WHO HAVE BEEN ON STRIKE SINCE APRIL 1ST.
“We won’t back down, and we are never going to give up,” said International District 2 Vice President Chuck Knisell.
Knisell and several members and International Staff picketed in front of the New York offices in late December just before the holiday season was beginning.
“We will do whatever it takes to win this strike. And we will win this strike. If we have to be in front of these offices all day, every day, then that’s what we will do.”
UMWA members have traveled from the pine woods of Brookwood, Alabama and the hollows of West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Pennsylvania to show their solidarity with their brothers and sisters on strike.
“Our membership has done everything we have asked them to do to support our brothers and sisters that have been on strike in Alabama,” said President Roberts.
“We have rallied together for the last ten months, and we will continue to dedicate ourselves in whatever manner we see fit until BlackRock and the other hedge funds put pressure on Warrior Met to come to the bargaining table in good faith and reach a fair contract for our members.”
From carrying “We Are One” signs and handing out fliers and informational leaflets, to holding rallies across the country, the membership of the United Mine Workers will continue to press forward in solidarity to win the strike in Alabama.
“It’s time for BlackRock to do their part to put pressure on Warrior Met to give our workers the fair and just contract they deserve,” said Secretary-Treasurer Sanson.
“Our strikers have been waiting long enough. They made Warrior Met the profitable company they are today, and it’s time they shared some of those profits with the men and women who brought them out of bankruptcy, to begin with.”
Michael Wright, one of over 1,100 UMWA members on strike, has been a miner for 16 years.
“We want everything back that we had before,” said Wright. “That’s the message we are trying to send to BlackRock. We go underground sacrificing our lives for our families. Warrior Met is making billions of dollars. Where’s our money?”
BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager with a portfolio in excess of $9.5 trillion dollars.
