“Your support for our struggle, along with backing from unions across the country and internationally, was critical in helping the Co-op miners and the UMWA win against C.W. Mining every step of the way, up to the final settlement agreement,” Kennedy told the delegates. She invited them to join in the June 4 celebration in Price, Utah.

“The ILWU drill team sent from San Francisco to the picket line in Huntington had a big impact on our struggle,” said Kennedy. “So did the ILWU local meetings that Co-Op miners were invited to, as well as your generous financial support.” More than $17,000 was donated by West Coast Longshore locals to help coal miners at Co-op in their battle for union representation.

“The lessons of this fight are important,” Kennedy said. “Without a fighting union we will never have safety in the mines. That was one of the most important issues our fight was about.

“Our struggle also highlighted the life-and-death struggle for the labor movement to fight for the legalization of all immigrants. This issue will not go away. The demonstrations for immigrant rights and the struggle of immigrant miners in Utah are an example for all of us.”

After a second standing ovation following Kennedy’s presentation, Ugles made a motion, which was adopted, to send representatives to the June 4 celebration in Price. The Canadian Vice President of the ILWU, Tim Footman, approached Kennedy after the meeting and offered support.
 

The meeting capped a busy day that started at the offices of UNITE HERE Local 2 in San Francisco and continued at ILWU Local 10. Estrada was able to meet briefly with Farless Dailey, secretary-treasurer of local 10, and later with John Ulrich of local 101 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in South San Francisco.

Another high point of the day was Estrada’s presentation, this time in Spanish, to a dozen members of Voluntarios de la Comunidad (Community Volunteers), at a house meeting in a working class barrio in Redwood City. The “Voluntarios” were helped lead the May 1 march of 100,000 in San Jose demanding legal residency for undocumented immigrants.
 
 
Related articles:
Unionize the mines!
Build the UMWA! No miner has to die!
‘We won battle at Co-Op mine due to strength of our fight and solidarity’
Bosses’ profit greed kills six Kentucky miners
Another miner killed on the job in W. Virginia
Sell this issue widely! On to 3,000 subs!
Appeal to our readers
Trapped underground for 14 days, Australia gold miners are rescued
China: 57 miners trapped in underground flood  
 
 
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