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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, February 14, 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 because they have not had a Cost of Living Adjustment and are not provided the tax exemptions that other West Virginia public retirees get on their pension,” noted CORPE spokesman Ernest “Spud” Terry. “Meanwhile PEIA is underfunded and health care costs continue to rise.

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United Mine Workers of America, District 31 will be holding the 50th annual memorial service for the victims of the Farmington #9 Disaster on Sunday, November 18, 2018.  The service will be held at the #9 Memorial site in Mannington, West Virginia beginning at 1:00 PM.

UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts will be the keynote speaker.

“On the 50th Anniversary of the Explosion, as we honor the 78 miners who perished in the Farmington #9 Disaster, we must understand that fifty years does not wash away the pain of losing a husband or fill the void left at the passing of a father or family member.  There is no  amount of time that can heal such deep wounds.  But we do need to take some solace in the fact that these brave miners did not die in vain.  Because of their sacrifice and the determination of their families, thousands of miners and their families have been spared a similar fate.  We owe much to these martyrs and their families. May God Bless each of them.”  

– Cecil E. Roberts                                                                            

UMWA International Secretary-Treasurer Levi Allen will offer remarks

UMWA International District 31 Vice President Mike Caputo will emcee the event.

Family, Friends and the community are all invited to attend.  Because of the anticipated crowd at the service this year, parking at the site will be limited.  Parking will be available at First Exchange Bank and Miller Hardware in Mannington.  Shuttle service to and from the Memorial will be provided.  UMWA staff will be available to assist individuals at the parking locations.  Please follow the parking signs to access these locations.  

What:              50th Farmington #9 Memorial Service

When:             Beginning at 1:00 PM, Sunday November 18, 2018

Where:            #9 Memorial Site, Mannington, West Virginia

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Governor Justice must think West Virginians are stupid. While dismissing as “rah-rah” a historic strike here that led to educators across the country standing up for fair wages and benefits, the governor held a press conference one month before the election making promises about things he says he’ll do months from now. Give us a break – everyone knows Mitch Carmichael and Bray Cary can’t be trusted.

Cleary Jim Justice doesn’t understand the scope and scale of PEIA if he thinks that one-time money is going to lead to a long-term fix for the fund. But what’s truly alarming is his mention of possible privatization. That would just be giving his fat cat CEO pals a pay raise at the expense of plan participants because we all know that when privatization happens, plan participants lose tens of millions of dollars in benefits in exchange for multi-million-dollar CEO salaries and golden parachutes. 

Today was nothing short of a blatant diversion attempt to take attention away from all the chaos going on at the State Capitol. Jim Justice foolishly thinks he can mention just the possibility of pay raise in the future and everyone will forget the real reason educators and other public employees got any pay raise and a PEIA task force to start with: the brave souls who stood up and said, “Enough is enough.”  West Virginia voters will not fall for it.

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As West Virginians enjoy spending time with family and friends this Labor Day weekend, the West Virginia AFL-CIO invites residents to attend one of the many parades and events honoring the achievements of America’s working people.

“This Labor Day, working people in every corner of the United States have good reason to be proud, but especially here in West Virginia -- the birthplace of a teachers movement for fair wages and benefits that has spread across the country,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword said. “And as we celebrate the people who form the bedrock of our state and country, and the unions that fight for them, we’re also preparing for the important fights ahead.” 

Immediately after the Labor Day celebrations, the West Virginia AFL-CIO will be kicking off  its largest and most strategic political program to date. 

“We’ll be crisscrossing the state, talking to working people about the issues that matter most: higher wages, better benefits, time off, a secure retirement and a fair return on our labor,” Sword said. “Working people are mobilizing and making our communities better for everyone, not just the wealthy few.

“When we support candidates who fight for the rights of working people, we build an America that works for all of us.”

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The following is a statement from West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword regarding the passing of Paul Nyden: 

“The West Virginia AFL-CIO family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of longtime Charleston Gazette reporter Paul Nyden. Paul was a real hero to the organized labor community, in large part because of his focus in reporting on issues that matter to West Virginia’s working families. Because of Paul, issues like retirement security, workplace safety and workers’ right to organize were front and center during his tenure as a reporter. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Paul’s family during this difficult time.”