The president of the United Mine Workers of America says Senator Jay Rockefeller’s announcement in the Capitol City Friday was sad news.
“I often thought for many years what it would be like not to have Senator Byrd and Senator Rockefeller and now I guess I’m about to find out,” said UMWA president Cecil Roberts. “And it doesn’t necessarily look that appealing.”
The five-term senator announced at the Culture Center he will not be running for re-election in 2014.
Roberts has known the 75-year-old Rockefeller for about 40 years and believes his greatest achievement was the passage of the Coal Act in 1992, which helped prevent a nationwide coal strike and preserved health benefits for 200,000 retired miners and their families.
“Every retiree in every state of the union still has healthcare because of the legislation Senator Rockefeller passed,” said Roberts. “On a personal level it’s a sad day, but on an institutional level too.”
Roberts recalls how special Rockefeller’s speech was following the passage of the bill.
“He was talking about his mother dying and she died of Alzheimers and he pointed out that she had the best healthcare in the world. And then he said everyone is not named Rockefeller though, but everyone loves their mother,” said Roberts. “So these coal miners, they deserve the best healthcare in the world too.”
Roberts said his mother was one of the many who benefited from that legislation.
Despite not liking the fact of going on without Sen. Rockefeller, Roberts understands there is always a time to move on.
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Comments
wvman75
I'm still trying to figure out which is the biggest sell-out to the people of West Virginia.
It's a close call.
January 11, 2013 at 8:38 pm | Report comment
wvman75
That should be OF the people of West Virginia. My bad.
January 11, 2013 at 8:39 pm | Report comment
Ed
Friend of coal miners. Rockefellers have killed more miners than any family I know. (see Ludlow massacre) John was not a friend of WV nor coal!!!!
January 11, 2013 at 10:01 pm | Report comment
Roger
I find it truly amazing that rank and file coal miners continue to be represented by this buffoon. How can Roberts praise the work that Rockefeller did for miners over 20 years ago and ignore that damage he has done to the job picture and economy of West Virginia?
January 12, 2013 at 12:04 am | Report comment
steve
I Sir,Am A rank and file miner serving under president Roberts.I Think you are Mis-informed on your negative assuptions.
January 12, 2013 at 11:48 am | Report comment
Jim
Two observations. First, since Cecil Roberts and Rocky are such buddies and obviously, Cecil won't pony-up for a custom "rug", choosing instead for decades to wear his "store-bought" wigs, maybe as one of his last acts Rocky could insert some money into one of the many Senate's Continuing Funding Resolutions that they pass in the midnight hour to buy Cecil a custom fit rug? Secondly, to all of those that wring their hands over the departure of Rocky, I say FINALLY! WV has not, nor does not need a Left-Wing Liberal that votes in lockstep with Liberals and Obama's agenda and Feinstein, Reid, Shumer, Boxer, et al! WV needs a senator that will finally represent West Virginians. Rocky is probably a sincere and caring man. A senator the represents his state's people--he is not.
January 12, 2013 at 10:24 am | Report comment
thornton
I'm guessing Cecil will miss the shade the most.
January 12, 2013 at 12:43 pm | Report comment
Tim C
Mr. Roberts is "president for life" of the UMWA. He isn't going anywhere until he passes on to the great beyond. At least Rockefeller is gone in 2014. If we want change in WV we have to start with our legislature. Vote republican at the state level and our national reps. will fall in line.
January 12, 2013 at 12:44 pm | Report comment
Keefe
I like to remember the Senator as one who votes for leach legislation. Let us not forget the Federal Government is now to big for it's britches. In WV we have so many who receive government assistance they will never vote for a better WV. Coal will eventually decrease if Obama has his way. So I guess we will just have the Fast Food United Workers. He and Byrd provided most of the Government jobs to out of Staters. Which drove up taxes and housing prices and government subsidized their cronies in industries mostly from the outside only to watch them leave after they fleeced the WV tax payers.
January 13, 2013 at 5:45 am | Report comment
steve
I love how you guys only post replies that only support A conservetive agenda.
January 13, 2013 at 11:55 am | Report comment
Roger
And what agenda are you supporting, Steve? Nevermind, I think we all know.
January 13, 2013 at 8:35 pm | Report comment
Hingecut
It's always sad when a multimillionare New Yorker, who has lived off of taxpayers for 50 years, retires.
January 14, 2013 at 7:49 am | Report comment