Union head: Climate plans must accommodate coal workers

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Union head: Climate plans must accommodate coal workers

By MATTHEW DALY
September 4, 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidates seeking to address climate change must account for thousands of coal workers whose jobs are at risk because of mine closures and competition from cheaper natural gas, the head of the largest coal miners’ union said Wednesday.

Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, said the Green New Deal and other climate plans threaten union members’ jobs and their families’ standard of living.

“I don’t think a good starting point for Democrats is eliminating union jobs,” Roberts said in a speech to the National Press Club.

If they want to win elections, “Democrats need a lot more union members, as opposed to fewer,” Roberts said.

Roberts also criticized President Donald Trump, saying that despite Trump’s frequent boasts, “Coal is not back. Nobody saved the coal industry.”

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Read more: https://apnews.com/027b9c946ae2451e87440b70150acd04

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A blast from the past: Fact Check: Hillary Clinton And Coal Jobs (NPR)

[Hortensis]

1. Our 2016 plan for a TVA-type revitalization of Appalachian coal country

is still waiting. It's beautiful country, well situated, expected to be less hit by climate change than many other areas, and full of nice people who really don't want to leave but who have to have work. The region needs new jobs and training to fill them, including for ex- coal union executives.

That's what we expected to be well along with by now. Business/industry will come because a labor supply is there and create those jobs. But first, upgrading of things like schools and medical care is required for managerial level people to be willing to live and raise their children there. A few adults will need literacy training as well as training in new jobs skills, but nothing like the problem tackled long ago in the Tennessee Valley region, and there's no smallpox, typhoid, and malaria to wipe out.

All this and more is well within the ability of the national and state governments to make happen with proper leadership. Mostly planned, all waiting.