FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

West Virginia HB 3270 is Bad for WV Workers

[TRIANGLE, VA] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“Let’s say that your boss, even though he knows that sending you to work in a section of your workplace is dangerous, sends you in there anyway. Then something happens and you are severely injured. Under current West Virginia law, if that happened to you or a loved one you or your heirs could sue that boss for needlessly and knowingly putting you in harm’s way.

“But if House Bill 3270 passes, he would get away with it. Walk away scot-free. The bill essentially lets supervisory and company executives off the hook if their decisions cause injury or death on the job. The supervisors and managers responsible for providing safe working conditions will face zero consequences even if they knowingly and intentionally expose their workers to unsafe conditions.

“Not only that, HB 3270 will also lower damage claims to a mere $250,000 against the company, which does not even begin to cover a family’s needs in the case of injury or death. This cap barely scrapes the surface of what a widow would need to provide for her children if the family’s sole provider is unable to work.

“We intend to fight this with everything we have. It is difficult to comprehend that West Virginia legislators are pushing a bill that would deliberately put workers’ lives at risk.”