On May 29, a bankruptcy court judge in St. Louis ruled that Patriot had the right to tear up its union contrasts to slash wages and benefits, and even as she already allowed them to hand out millions of dollars to rewards their executives.
The UMWA tried to negotiate. The Patriot representatives walked away. The UMWA threatened to strike. Patriot came back to the table.
All the drama is deeply personal and terribly stressful to the thousands of coal miners, retirees, spouses, and other dependents looking to protect promises made to them in exchange for a life of hard work in one of the most dangerous jobs in America.
However, the real danger in the long term may not be limited to those in the coal fields, but for the middle class as a whole.
