- Cecil Roberts (unionist)
Cecil Roberts (born
October 31 ,1946 ) is a miner and president of theUnited Mine Workers of America (UMWA). He is also a vice president of theAFL-CIO , and sits on the AFL-CIO's executive council.Early life
Roberts was born on Halloween in 1946. He grew up in the small town of Cabin Creek in
Kanawha County, West Virginia .After serving in the United States military forces and doing a tour of duty in the
Vietnam War , Roberts went to work as a miner in1971 . He became active in Miners for Democracy, the reform movement in the United Mine Workers which sprung up around minerArnold Miller . In1977 , he was elected vice president of District 17.In
1982 , Roberts was elected vice president of UMWA. His running mate wasRichard Trumka , who became the union's president.Roberts graduated from West Virginia Technical College with a
bachelor's degree in1987 .In
1989 , Roberts was the on-site leader and strategist and chief negotiator in UMWA's 10-month strike against the Pittston Coal Co. (now part ofThe Brink's Company ).Presidency of UMWA
When Trumka resigned the presidency of UMWA on
December 22 ,1995 , after being elected secretary-treasurer of theAFL-CIO , Roberts assumed the presidency in his stead.In
1996 , Roberts successfully won agreement from coal mine operators to re-open UMWA's national coal agreement. It was the first time the contract had been re-opened in the union's history, and Roberts won substantial wage increases.In
1997 , Roberts was elected president of UMWA in his own right to a new five-year term. For the first time in UMWA history, the entire leadership team slate ran unopposed.In
1998 , Roberts negotiated a new national coal agreement.In
2000 , Roberts won re-election a second time. Although his term was not due to expire, delegates to UMWA's March 2000 convention approved a resolution to move the election up so balloting would not coincide with negotiations for a new bituminous coal contract. Again, Roberts and his slate ran unopposed.In
2001 , Roberts bargained a new, five-year national coal agreement. The new agreement included significant pension increases and "30-and-out" language that allowed miners with 30 years of service to retire with full benefits at any age.In September
2003 , Roberts called an International Special Convention to restructure UMWA. Delegates approved proposals to eliminate all international vice president positions, and combine the international executive board member, district president and district secretary-treasurer positions into one office called international vice president. Delegates also approved moving the 2005 presidential election up to 2004.In
2004 , Roberts was re-elected a third time as president of UMWA.In December
2005 , Roberts negotiated a new national coal agreement which contained the highest pay raises since 1974. Health benefits were maintained, and coal companies will increase contributions to the UMWA Pension Fund by more than $500 million.On September 9. 2008, Roberts called the Mesiah, Jesus a "community organizer" during an introduction of Presidential nominee Barack Obama in Lebanon, Virginia according to ABC News' Senior National Correspondent, Jake Tapper.
References
*"Cecil E. Roberts, President." United Mine Workers of America, no date. [http://www.umwa.org/bios/biocr.html] accessed January 10, 2007.
*"UMW Approves Contract, Gets Highest Pay Hike Since 1974." "Lexington Herald-Leader." December 22, 2005.*Union Chief: ‘Jesus Was a Community Organizer’ September 09, 2008 4:39 PM [http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/09/union-chief-jes.html]
External links
* [http://www.umwa.org United Mine Workers of America]
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