Warrior Met Coal Strike Poised To End After Almost Two Years

BROOKWOOD, AL — The longstanding labor union strike at Warrior Met Coal appears to be nearing its end after United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) have held the picket line for almost two years.

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UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts on Thursday sent a letter to Warrior Met Coal CEO Walt Scheller announcing that the UMWA membership who have been on an unfair labor practice strike at Warrior Met Coal would return to work at the company’s four locations on March 2.

As Patch previously reported, UMWA issued an unfair labor practice strike notice at Warrior Met Coal, Inc., to begin on April 1, 2021 which came as the restructured company continued to battle back from its 2016 bankruptcy.

The strike notice covered more than 1,100 workers at all of the company's operations, including the No. 4 mine, the No. 5 preparation plant, the No. 7 mine and its Central Shop. The union also filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board relating to Warrior Met's conduct during negotiations.

“We are entering a new phase of our efforts to win our members and their families the fair and decent contract they need and deserve,” Roberts said. “We have been locked into this struggle for 23 months now, and nothing has materially changed. The two sides have essentially fought each other to a draw thus far, despite the company’s unlawful bargaining posture the entire time.

“The status quo is not good for our members and their families, he added. “The company continues to pay the temporary replacement workers in its mines significant wages and bonuses up to $2,000 more per month than it has offered to pay our members at the bargaining table. If it is going to pay that kind of money, we believe it should be going to Alabama miners and their families, not those coming from out-of-state."

Roberts went on to say the status quo is not good for the company or its shareholders either, as the current workforce it has in the mines cannot match the level of production made possible by UMWA members.

“The company’s own reports, including the one issued just yesterday, proves that," he said. "They have lost nearly a billion dollars in unrealized revenue over the last 23 months.”

UMWA says the letter is an “unconditional offer to return to work,” which follows federal labor standards and would implement the return to work of hundreds of UMWA members while giving the union and the company time to work out a new agreement.

“We have long said that we are ready to get in the same room with Warrior Met leadership and stay there until we have an agreement,” Roberts said. “So far the company has not been willing to do that. I sincerely hope that Warrior Met leadership will accept this offer, get our members back to work, engage in good faith bargaining and finally sit down face-to-face with us to resolve this dispute for the betterment of all concerned.”

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