Hundreds of Alabama coal miners traveled by bus to New York City to demonstrate outside the headquarters of multinational investment management firm BlackRock, it was reported Wednesday.
The protest was organized by the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), involving their union members from Alabama’s Warrior Met Coal who have been on strike against the company since April 1.
The protest reportedly drew over 1,000 people, including union members from Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, as well as actress Susan Sarandon
BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager and the largest shareholder in Warrior Met Coal.
HUNDREDS of striking Alabama #UMWA workers protesting outside @blackrock in NYC.
WATCH LIVE exclusively on @StatusCoup @rokfin https://t.co/acybKIGhkP pic.twitter.com/rB4LhRUcql
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) July 28, 2021
.@SusanSarandon speaks in front of HUNDREDS of striking Alabama #UMWA coal miners protesting outside @blackrock NYC demanding better wages/working conditions.
Blackrock biggest shareholder of workers’ parent company. We’re LIVE exclusively on @TheRokfin https://t.co/QAUNcG47eu pic.twitter.com/npet5eaCwS
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) July 28, 2021
HUNDREDS of striking #UMWA coal miners from Alabama are protesting in front of @blackrock NYC headquarters for better wages and working conditions. Blackrock is biggest shareholder of AL workers’ parent company.
We’re LIVE exclusively on @TheRokfin https://t.co/hsaCFzpAta pic.twitter.com/hBQ7qLocpA
— Jordan (@JordanChariton) July 28, 2021
“Do you hear that BlackRock? Get us a fair contract and we’ll go away. We’ll go back to work in those coal mines where we should be,” one of the speakers at the rally said. “We rode up here on buses to tell you your investments need to be put to use in these guy’s salaries, in these guy’s benefits, these guys that have earned you the profits that you’re making from these coal mines.”
The union members say they made concessions in pay, benefits, holidays, overtime and in other areas that totaled upwards of $1.1 billion after their previous employer Walter Energy filed for bankruptcy in 2016. Warrior Met Coal would end up purchasing the company’s assets. (RELATED: Concerned About BlackRock Pricing Out Home Buyers? Wait Until You Hear How Connected They Are To The Government)
“We’re in New York City because we are simply following the money, and demanding that those who created that wealth, the miners, get their fair share of it,” UNMA President Cecil E. Roberts said.
BlackRock has also drawn attention for buying up single-family houses all over the country, pricing middle-class buyers out of the housing market.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. officials also reportedly discussed economic recovery plans with BlackRock CEO Laurence Fink multiple times even as the company valued at roughly $130 billion stood to benefit.