From the United Mine Workers of America to the Movement against Mountain Top Removal

March 7th, 6:00 PM
in the Dining Room (downstairs) of St Stephens Church (1525 Newton Street NW):

Join us Sunday March 7th for a panel discussion by former union coal miners from the United Mine Workers of America. Come hear them discuss the strikes they took part in and their current work to stop Mountain Top Removal, the destruction of environment, community, economy, and culture of Appalachia by blowing off mountaintops to extract coal.

The movement to stop Mountain Top Removal in Appalachia has been growing for years, in part thanks to former Union miners who have stepped into leadership roles throughout the country. While locally the history of the Union and its militant struggles is common knowledge, few people outside of the "hollows" of Appalachia know these stories.

The panel will cover everything from the "wildcat strikes" to what the United Mine Workers of America meant for people's daily lives. Panelists will also talk about the Pittston Strike, a strike which lasted 11 months, covered 3 states, led to thousands of arrests and included a mass occupation of the Moss 3 Prep Plant, a mining facility in the area. Finally, the panel will look at how their involvement in the UMWA affects their role in the current movement to end Mountain Top Removal.

Cosponsored by: DC Radical Space Collective, the RRENEW Collective, DC Rainforest Action Network