Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

spinbaby

(15,090 posts)
Mon Apr 20, 2015, 08:59 PM Apr 2015

Retired Consol Coal Miners Protest Loss of Health Care Benefits

Source: WESA, Pittsburgh

Retired coal miners will gather around Consol Energy Center Monday to protest the revocation of health benefits for more than 1,200 retired workers.

In December 2013 Consol sold five coal mines to Murry Energy. With the sale Murry acquired $2.1 billion in employee retirement benefits, but only committed to paying for one year of health care. Now both companies are refusing to honor the benefits.

Both companies have firm legal standings admits Robert Long, a representative for Consol Retirees United. He says the wording of the contract allowed Consol to change the benefits at any time.

“If you work 35-40 years for a company and have the exposure to those risks [in the mines], and then to retire under the given plans that they set forth and then they terminate your benefits, I think that is totally unjustified and more than anything else it’s just socially irresponsible for the company to act in that fashion,” said Long.

Read more: http://wesa.fm/post/retired-consol-coal-miners-protest-loss-health-care-benefits



This is going on now in Pittsburgh, but seems to be studiously ignored by the news except for the local NPR station.
13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Marthe48

(16,959 posts)
2. Blaming national public health care for decision
Mon Apr 20, 2015, 09:19 PM
Apr 2015

but another tea bag company that doesn't want ACA.

In other news, State of Ohio idiot repugs put language in the budget that "would reclassify full-time professors who participate in almost anything other than teaching and research as supervisors or managers, and thus exempt from collective bargaining.

This is just ridiculous.

All of the idiots who vote republican are going to have their asses in a sling, too. But these bastards keep getting 'elected'.

Unknown Beatle

(2,672 posts)
3. There's a huge difference between getting
Mon Apr 20, 2015, 09:32 PM
Apr 2015

elected and stealing the election. The latter is going on around the country.

Marthe48

(16,959 posts)
11. Hope you noticed my quotes :)
Tue Apr 21, 2015, 12:01 PM
Apr 2015

I don't care if anyone calls me a conspiracy theorist. I read all I could for a long time on election stealing. It is out there, and no one will fix it. If I can go to the grocery store and buy a cartful of random products, and get an immediate readout of what's in my cart and how much it cost, then we can and should get a readout when we vote. But we won't. And whether the monsters that are setting policy for all of us are truly voted in or not, they are setting policy and they are smashing our lives.

aint_no_life_nowhere

(21,925 posts)
4. Our medical system is going to hell
Mon Apr 20, 2015, 09:45 PM
Apr 2015

My mother's long-time primary care doctor said he was opting out of medicare and would no longer accept her medicare insurance. Just this afternoon, I tried yet again to find another internal specialist to take his place and was told by his office that that doctor no longer was accepting medicare and she would have to pay out of pocket for this doctor's services. The reason? The doctor can make more money entering into a private contract with patients where he can charge basically whatever the traffic will allow. I would have thought this was illegal; my mother paid into medicare all her life. I think they should pass laws requiring doctors to accept medicare as a condition of being able to practice in America. When these coal miner's turn 65 and can't find a doctor to accept medicare, will they be further screwed?

justhanginon

(3,290 posts)
6. Maybe he took the "Hypocritical Oath" when
Mon Apr 20, 2015, 10:22 PM
Apr 2015

he became a doctor. Greed is not to be found only in the boardrooms of corporations. Your mother's doctor did not become a medical professional to heal the sick, he did it to become a rich man. That is the extent of his commitment to his once honorable and caring profession. It is becoming an all to often occurrence.

justhanginon

(3,290 posts)
9. I've been trying to stay away from that whole "anarchy" thing
Mon Apr 20, 2015, 11:44 PM
Apr 2015

because it, while good in the short run, is a loser long term. But I agree there are times when injustices do try one's patience and it becomes oh so tempting.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
10. an actual healthcare system would take care of all of these issues
Tue Apr 21, 2015, 07:40 AM
Apr 2015

But since we're never going to have one, I guess that is moot

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Retired Consol Coal Miner...