Indiana Coal Miners Rally To Keep Pensions

Indiana coal miners will join a rally to protect their pensions Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. That’s where a congressional committee plans to discuss what to do about multi-employer pension funds that are in danger of going under due to the recession. 

Bill Yockey is with the United Mine Workers of America, Indiana Local 1189. He says after an eight year fight, the government secured health benefits for coal miners last year.

“Now we’re having to face a crisis with our pensions," says Yockey. "So it is a little frustrating. You know, we believe that a promise made is a promise that should be kept.”

Yockey says companies that went bankrupt during the recession should still have to pay employee pensions. He says the average UMWA member’s pension is small, about $300 to $500 a month.

The union will join truck drivers, bakers, and musicians at Thursday’s rally.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.