Tuscaloosa Dems Raising Funds, Supplies for Warrior Met Coal Miners
The Tuscaloosa County Democratic Party is standing in solidarity with the United Mine Workers of America during their ongoing strike against Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood.
In a Tuesday press release, the Tuscaloosa Dems announced a partnership with the UMWA to collect funds and supplies for striking miners and their families.
Checks, hygiene products and other household items can be delivered to the Tuscaloosa County Democratic Party headquarters at 3311 Loop Road in Tuscaloosa throughout this week. The office will also open for donations Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday from 12 to 4 p.m.
All checks should be made out to the UMWA 2021 Strike Aid fund.
"As a Party, we believe all workers deserve fair wages and safe working conditions, and we support the working families of the UMWA in their fight against the big money interests of Warrior Met Coal," the release read.
More than 1,000 coal miners have been on strike since early April after contract negotiations with Warrior Met collapsed. The fight for increased pay and more holidays for the miners has left the group without reliable income for nearly three months. The strike has also led to small-scale strife between the miners, the strikebreakers crossing the picket lines to work for Warrior Met and local law enforcement agencies.
In May, 11 miners and union reps were arrested for trespassing when they allegedly blocked the roadway during a sit-in neat the No. 7 mine.
Earlier in June, the striking miners alleged that some of their members were struck by vehicles coming onto Warrior Met property.
On Tuesday, a video emerged that appears to show striking miners smash the back windshield of a car driven by a strikebreaker.
In addition to the General Strike Fund and the UMWA Food Bank Fund, which has been open to donations throughout the strike, school supplies are also being collected for children of the miners for the coming school year.
“When big money takes aim at working families, we have your back,” said County Party Chair Dexter Lowery. “As Democrats, we stand with workers and believe all workers have the right to collectively bargain and determine the conditions of their employment.”