Videos Show Vehicular Assaults On Union Picket Lines In Brookwood

BROOKWOOD, AL — As a protracted labor strike continues at a major west Alabama coal producer, United Mine Workers of America says three separate incidents of vehicular assault have occurred at Warrior Met Coal on legal picket lines over the last three days.

The union says the instances of violence raise questions about the company's response, as two separate videos posted on YouTube show the incidents in questions. In the first, a red truck can be seen hitting a man standing on the picket line, although he stays on his feet and appears to be unharmed. In the other video, a large truck can be seen driving through a picket line of striking miners at the Brookwood mine's entrance

UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said on Monday that Warrior Met personnel, either management or nonunion workers, have repeatedly struck UMWA members with their vehicles while they were engaging in legal picket line activities.

“We have members in casts, we have members in the hospital, we have members who are concerned about their families and potential of violence against them if they come to the picket line," Roberts said. “We have been to court on multiple occasions regarding what we can and cannot do on the picket lines and our members respect the guidance of the court. Warrior Met seems to believe that it is all right to strike people with cars as they engage in legal, protected activity."

Around 1,100 union miners walked off the job during the first week of April, as Patch previously reported, citing their desire for a new collective bargaining agreement between UMWA and Warrior Met. Votes were the cast in local union halls in late April, but ultimately failed to garner the necessary support to see the striking miners return to work.

Roberts went on to say the recent violence could lead to the situation spiraling further out of control, and used the instances to lobby Warrior Met Coal to return to the bargaining table.

“But if Warrior Met decides to continue inspiring violence on the picket lines, their leadership should understand that UMWA members have been subjected to company violence for 131 years and will not be deterred from seeking a fair contract for them and their families," Roberts said. "We are still here and we will remain here long after those leaders have gone.”

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