Coal miners leave picket lines when union, employers reach contract

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Herald Standard

Coal miners leave picket lines when union, employers reach contract
By Josh Krysak, Herald-Standard
04/14/2007
Updated 04/14/2007 04:07:38 PM EDT

Just one week after nearly 1,000 Greene County coal miners hit the picket lines, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and affiliates of Foundation Coal Holdings Inc. have reached contractual agreements at the mines, allowing work to resume.

"We are certainly glad this is over," UMWA District 2 President Ed Yankovich said Friday. "We were able to take care of the needs of our workers and thankfully it didn't take long to do that."

"We have successfully concluded negotiations with Foundation's affiliates Cumberland Coal Resources, LP; Emerald Coal Resources LP; and Wabash Mine Holding Co.," UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. "As of now, our pickets have been withdrawn."

Yankovich said work resumed at both the Emerald and Cumberland mines in Greene County on the midnight shift Thursday night into Friday morning.

Read more: http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18209721&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6