The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.62/No.44           December 7, 1998 
 
 
Support Striking Miners Now!  
The 350 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) members on strike at Freeman United Coal's three central Illinois mines deserve the support of the entire labor movement and all of those who fight for social justice.

Freeman has made it clear that it intends to take down the three striking locals. The company has escalated its attacks against the union: threatening to take away hard-won health benefits for retired miners and then demanding a gutting of seniority rights; calling on the FBI for its help; filing a cynical anti-strike lawsuit; running scabs across the picket lines; and now threatening to "hire other miners" if the strikers don't return to work November 30.

Freeman is using every resource at its disposal, including the political police, to defeat the strikers - a stark reminder of what working people are up against when capital goes to war against workers.

Our side must respond accordingly, with our solidarity.

Since early September when the strikes began, concerned workers in the region have come to the strike headquarters in Farmersville and Industry and have joined the picket lines at the mines. Donations of food and money have come in. Special strike solidarity actions, like the October 11 commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Virden, have attracted union fighters, from Caterpillar and Titan to Budweiser and General Motors.

Now is the time to step up solidarity as unionists, working farmers, and youth who see the miners' fight as our fight. Their victory will be our victory.

 
 
 
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