'Hear our loud, clear message'
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CHARLESTON — While a cool breeze floated over the crowd, it did not snuff the fire in their hearts.
Some mumbled among themselves, and others had opened ears, as the president of the the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) shouted to an eager crowd.
“We have a powerful voice,” Richard Trumka said, his voice echoing across the capitol lawn and over the Kanawha River. “Every single politician in that building needs to hear our loud, clear message.”
Thousands Gather in Charleston for Mountaineer Workers Rising Rally
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CHARLESTON – Standing strong against politically motivated attacks on West Virginia working families, close to 7,000 made their way to Charleston today to celebrate “Mountaineer Workers Rising.”
“This has been a powerful display of unity that sends a clear message to the legislators who are at this very moment inside the State Capitol, making decisions that directly affect West Virginia families,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue said. “The people who have gathered here today represent a huge segment of our state’s population, and they want lawmakers to know that they are paying attention.”
Carrying signs with messages of “Safety and Security for all West Virginia Workers,” “West Virginians for Worker Fairness,” “Stop the War on Coal Miners,” and “Right to Work is Wrong,” attendees rallied against efforts to pass legislation to loosen coal mine safety protections, bring down wages and diminish public education.
National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts and Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall were among the large delegation of labor international presidents and officers who spoke at the noon event along the river side of the Capitol. (Attached are quotes from featured speakers.)
Thousands Take Part in Mountaineer Workers Rising Rally at W.Va. Capitol
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It was a busy day at West Virginia's capitol.
Nearly 7,000 people were on hand to show lawmakers that they're listening.
The rally was called 'Mountaineer Workers Rising.'
Several pieces of legislation were hot topics including weakening coal mine safety regulations, scaling back or repealing prevailing wage, charter schools and a proposed "right to work" law.
Thousands attend labor rally at West Virginia Capitol to protest legislative actions
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CHARLESTON, West Virginia — The West Virginia AFL-CIO estimates that about 7,000 people attended a rally protesting actions and proposals by the state's Republican Legislature.
The "Mountaineer Workers Rising Rally" at the state Capitol Saturday was organized to protest Republican proposals that union leaders say are bad for workers. Labor groups are opposing the introduction of charter schools, changes to the state prevailing wage for construction projects, and legislation that they say weakens coal mining safety regulations.
Thousand Rally Against Legislation On Capitol Steps
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thousands of West Virginians lines the capitol steps lobbying against controversial legislation working its way through the State House.
They call themselves Mountaineer Workers Rising and Saturday, nearly 7,000 of them protested against legislation they said will hurt West Virginia working families.
“Trying to stop the insanity that the Republicans are trying to put on use, Right to Work and Prevailing Wage,” Connie Guiseppi, with the Operating Engineers Union said.
We are a group of more than 575 affiliated unions joined together for the common cause of fairness for all workers.
The future of the working men and women of America depends on a strong, united labor movement. The strength of that movement is in our numbers: thousands of men and women united, striving for the same common goals
- fairness, justice, and equality in the workplace.
