ST. LOUIS—More than 1,000 members of the United Mine Workers and supporters from the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Jobs with Justice, Communications Workers of America and other unions turned out for a rally here March 19 to protest Peabody Coal’s attacks on the UMWA contract. Held across the street from Peabody Coal’s headquarters, the rally included contingents of miners from Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana.

Peabody Coal spun off its UMWA-organized mines into Patriot Coal in 2007. Patriot then filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and on that pretext is pressing to end pensions and health benefits for retired miners and gut the UMWA contract.

“We don’t feel it’s right to work all of your lives and then they turn their back on you,” Brandon West, 34, a member of UMWA Local 2368 who works at Jim Walters #5 mine in Alabama, told the Militant. “If this happens to our union it will happen to all.”

“We are organizing a big rally in West Virginia on April 1,” Don Barnett, UMWA at-large international vice president, announced at the rally. “Charleston will be covered up with UMWA members, and not just the UMWA will be there. This is a fight for workers all over the country.”

There will be a rally at the Charleston Civic Center at 10 a.m., followed by a march to Patriot Coal headquarters. For more information visit: www.fairnessatpatriot.org

—ALYSON KENNEDY