Mine Workers to NRA: Don’t Push Us Around

More than 440 members of the United Mine Workers of America staged a one-day protest on Sept. 29 after their employer allowed the National Rifle Association to film an anti-Obama commercial using miners and their families.

According to the mine workers communications director, Phil Smith, Consol Energy, the Blacksville No. 2 coal mine’s owner, allowed the film crew come onto the property and asked several miners: “How do you feel about having your Second Amendment rights taken away if Obama becomes president?”

“We were upset that the company allowed the NRA to come on its property and try to use our members for political purposes knowing we had already endorsed Obama and a lot of our members had already endorsed Obama,” Smith said.

Sen. Obama’s (D-Ill.) support for the Second Amendment is well-documented. He is endorsed by many sportsmen’s and conservation groups for his commitment to protecting areas for hunting and fishing.

Mine workers President Cecil Roberts declared Sept. 29 a “Memorial Day” to protest the NRA’s film and show their support for Obama.

“This was a surprise visit, and a lot of the miners felt this was a direct slap in the face of the union because they were trying to coerce our people into saying things against Barack Obama,” said Eric Greathouse, vice president and safety chairman of mine workers Blacksville, Local 1702 said.