Coal Miners to Leaflet Berkshire (Warren Buffett) Hathaway Annual Meeting in Omaha

[Omaha Steve]

From e-mail.

M E D I A A D V I S O R Y

For Immediate Release May 2, 2013



Advisory for Sat. May 4 in Omaha

Coal Miners to Leaflet Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting in Omaha



Workers to Protest Cuts in Safety Protections, Health Care at Utah Coal Mine

Owned by Warren Buffett



Omaha – Members of the United Mine Workers of American (UMWA) and supporters will leaflet at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in Omaha on Saturday, May 4th. In addition, UMWA has purchased full-page ads in the Omaha World Herald, calling attention to irresponsible management demands for cut backs in safety protections and health care at the Berkshire-Hathaway-owned Deer Creek mine in Huntington, Utah.

The Deer Creek mine was purchased in 2012 by MidAmerican Energy. MidAmerican is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, the investment conglomerate controlled by billionaire Warren Buffett.

Who: Members of the United Mine Workers of America and supporters

What: Leafleting in response to management demands for cuts in safety protection and health care

When: Saturday, May 4, beginning at 7 am (Central Time)

Where: Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting

Century Link Center, 455 North 10th Street



Union members will also leaflet at MidAmerican headquarters in Des Moines on Friday, May 3, and plan to communicate with shareholders during the weekend of Berkshire Hathaway events in Omaha.





“We had no problems before MidAmerican took us over,” says Harold Morgan, a UMWA retiree who worked at the Deer Creek mine. “Now the mine is owned by the second richest man in the world, worth $3.5 billion, who wants to drastically cut health care benefits. That’s a terrible thing to do, especially now when retirees need them the most.”



Deer Creek management has demanded the elimination of a union-elected Safety Committee, to be replaced by company appointees. In March, the company fired UMWA member Ralph Keele, a surface diesel mechanic who had been elected Safety Chair by his co-workers. Keele was terminated after he filed a safety complaint; the UMWA is challenging the dismissal.



“The bosses’ total disregard for safety is my major concern, “said Keele."They say safety is the most important thing, but their actions don’t support that. Sometimes, when we’d find something wrong, they would have the next crew fix it and blame the problem on us. Safety to them is lip service.”



Buffett has declined a UMWA invitation to visit the Deer Creek mine, responding that Berkshire Hathaway is a “decentralized” company.



“I’m sorry, Mr. Buffett, but that dog won’t hunt,” said UMWA President Cecil Roberts. “You can’t earn profits from one of your subsidiaries, but claim no responsibility for its operations. You can’t pretend to be a responsible player in the business world while at the same time running one of your operations like a feudal lord. Many of these stockholders probably don’t even know they own a coal mine, but by the time their meeting is over, they’re going to know plenty.”


For more information on Deer Creek mine, see “Berkshire Meeting Will Face Mining Union Presence,” Wall Street Journal, May 1, and “Showdown in Utah,” UMWA Journal, March-April 2013, page 6.

[Omaha Steve]

1. Marta and I had dinner in the Old Market and were surrounded by Berkshire Hathaway shareholders

Interesting conversations going on around us. Then it was off to the Rose Theater to watch Frog & Toad with one of the grand-kids.

[Omaha Steve]

2. They are out there standing in the rain right now!!!

And getting coverage.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. kick