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Members of the United Steelworkers and their allies will be rallying in front of the West Virginia Capitol Tuesday morning to urge Governor Justice and legislative leaders to take action to save 1,500 Viatris/Mylan jobs that are at risk.

They will be asking the governor to form a task force to explore how to prevent Viatris/Mylan -- one of the last manufacturers of generic prescription medicine in the United States – from closing the Morgantown facility.

WHAT:                      Rally for Viatris/Mylan jobs
WHEN:                      10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 8
WHERE:                   Steps on the river side of the State Capitol

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America’s labor movement honored Workers Memorial Day on Wednesday. It’s an annual day of remembrance when unions and allies from across the country come together to reflect on those who have lost their lives on the job from accidents and as a result of chronic illness and injuries sustained from dangerous working conditions.

In 2020, 17 West Virginians lost their lives while on the job. These workers were fathers, daughters, brothers and sisters. They were first responders, coal miners and service workers. They were our friends, and they should not have lost their lives.

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The loss of these jobs is a devastating blow affecting more than 1,500 employees, their families and their communities. In the face of this massive pandemic, we need manufacturing facilities like Mylan more than ever in our region. As a delegate and senator-elect, I will do everything within my power – including working with our legislative delegation, the governor, our representatives in Congress, and the United Steelworkers, which represents Mylan employees -- to convince company officials that closing this facility is the wrong choice.

I will urge Senators Manchin and Capito to bring us together as a SWAT team to quickly address this. We’ve weathered four years of empty promises from the White House about jobs that have never come to West Virginia. It is my hope that Governor Justice can leverage his close personal relationship with President Trump to work on reversing the economic freefall our state has been experiencing at the hands of billion-dollar corporations and help us save these Mylan jobs. I also expect that Senator Manchin will be reaching out to President-elect Biden’s administration to provide assistance moving forward.

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CHARLESTON – In an unsurprising but still highly disappointing move, the state Supreme Court today upheld a law created solely to undermine and weaken unions in their efforts to protect workers and represent workers’ rights. 

“Circuit Judge Bailey had rightfully ruled that the so-called ‘Right to Work’ act clearly violates the West Virginia Constitutional rights of unions and individuals with regard to the illegal taking of their property,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword said. “This law has been the centerpiece of a years-long, partisan-driven agenda by the anti-worker majority to lower wages and benefits and eliminate workplace safety regulations – all in order to place corporate profits far above the health and safety of West Virginia workers, which is shameful particularly in light of the current pandemic we’re facing.”

“That this state Supreme Court, the product of scandal, corruption and an unprecedented impeachment process, would uphold such a law is very disappointing yet not at all surprising,” Sword continued. “In fact, this court broke their own protocol by not notifying us that a ruling had been made and was being released to the press and public. 

“I ask: How political and shady has this court become when the parties in a high-profile appeal are only notified of a decision through reporters and social media?!” 

Sword said the labor unions in West Virginia will continue to operate as they have since the Supreme Court lifted the injunction on the law in 2017 and continue fighting for the health, well being and safety of all West Virginia working families.

“As always, we will continue to negotiate for fair wages, good benefits and a safe workplace,” Sword said. “In 2020, we will work harder than ever to ensure that those who pushed for and supported this legislation, and any other laws that hurt working families, are voted out of office.”

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Members of the West Virginia Coalition of Retired Public Employees (CORPE) will gather at the state Capitol for a breakfast on Thursday, January 30, to remind legislators of the thousands of retired public employees who are struggling to get by.

“Retirees who are part of the Public Employee and Teachers retirement systems are dealing with undue hardships and will meet with Legislators to express concerns about stagnate pensions, and lack of tax exemptions afforded other Public Employees,” CORPE spokesman Ernest “Spud” Terry said. “West Virginia’s public retirees have been neglected for far too long.”