Mine Workers Confront McCain in Kentucky

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/24/mine-workers-confront-mccain-in-kentucky/

by Seth Michaels, Apr 24, 2008

Inez, Ky., a rural town tucked deep in Appalachia, is home to a few hundred people struggling with the challenges of a brutal economy. Between fundraisers, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) paid a visit there yesterday and was met by workers seeking answers to the nation’s economic crisis that has hit them hard.

Once again, McCain talked about the problems facing America, but he failed to offer answers to the real questions confronting the country. Working families need help now, and it was clear yesterday as it’s been clear throughout recent weeks, McCain isn’t offering a plan.

http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/mccain.cfm?source=mccainrevealed


More than 40 members of the Mine Workers (UMWA) traveled from around eastern Kentucky to let McCain know he can’t hide from workers.

William Chapman, a miner from Martin County, took McCain to task for his lack of concern for working families and his lack of concrete proposals to tackle the economic crisis.

He is not a friend of working America. Gas prices have skyrocketed. Health care keeps going up. The war in Iraq has devastated our country. We need a change.

Today, Chapman and other UMWA members traveled to the other end of the state for a labor breakfast in Louisville, where workers were joined by Gov. Steve Beshear, elected last year with big support from an energetic labor program that educated and mobilized workers and swept Beshear into office with an 18-point margin. Along with Beshear, Lt. Gov. Dan Mongiardo and U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford joined 120 union leaders and activists at the breakfast.

Union members in the state are mobilizing for the 2008 elections, where they’ll be voting in key federal races. Lunsford has drawn the Kentucky State AFL-CIO endorsement against Sen. Mitch McConnell, the leader of the Senate Republicans, who has led the fight against fair pay, unemployment benefits and children’s health care.

Union leaders at the breakfast meeting picked up more than 4,000 fliers about McCain’s record on working families, in preparation for May 17, when union members across the country will go door to door to start educating their fellow workers about the election.

AFL-CIO union members in Kentucky and around the nation are showing up at McCain campaign events, asking him to change course and propose real solutions to serious problems in housing, health care and the job market. They’re getting mobilized and ready to knock on doors, make phone calls and get out the vote to support working family-friendly candidates for the White House and Congress.


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Paid for by the AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education Political Contributions Committee, www.aflcio.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

[rurallib]

1. Somewhat surprised that there was no mention of mine safety

which has gone to near non existence under Repubs.
BTW thank you for your keeping us up on labor affairs. We really appreciate it.