Miners with black lung disease face a difficult process to obtain modest benefits, as do their widows. Two bills in Congress aim to help miners with the disease and their bereaved families, including by tying benefit levels to inflation.
Blog Archives
Bills Aim to Help Miners with Black Lung and Surviving Family Access Benefits
TAGS: Black Lung Black Lung Benefits black lung disease Coal mining legislation miners widows' benefits
Fighting for Black Lung Benefits for Miners and Families
Kathryn South’s husband, Mike South, was diagnosed with black lung disease at age 35. As they grappled with his disease, the couple also navigated the arduous legal process to obtain federal black lung benefits, a fight that Kathryn continued even after Mike’s passing.
Black Lung Advocate Judith Riffe is Making Change (and Quilts) in West Virginia
Judith Riffe of the Wyoming County Black Lung Association uses her quilt-making talents to fundraise for the chapter and is spearheading the installation of a statue to bring attention to the role of women miners.
The Black Lung Association Responds to the Deadly Disease’s Rise
The Black Lung Association has a storied history of fighting for miners’ rights to occupational healthcare. Today, that fight continues as rates of the disease continue to climb.
Workers Push for Pay After Bankruptcy
After Blackjewel and Revelation Energy declared bankruptcy in July, the companies retroactively withdrew paychecks from their former employees’ bank accounts, triggering a nearly two-month long protest and several court battles.
Blackjewel’s bankruptcy looks like bad news for workers and mine cleanup
Appalachia’s latest coal bankruptcy looks different than others — mines shut down immediately and paychecks were clawed back from employees’ bank accounts. We take a look at what the Blackjewel and Revelation Energy bankruptcy could mean for mine land reclamation.
Bankrupt Westmoreland Coal granted permission to sever worker agreements
A federal bankruptcy judge ruled that Westmoreland Coal Company can back out of its collective bargaining agreements with current workers and retirees as soon as Feb. 28, putting pensions and health benefits for thousands of people at risk.
Battling for Black Lung Benefits
The deadly disease is on the rise, but funding for healthcare will be halved unless Congress acts this year.
Advancing Quality of Life for Patients with Black Lung
Rural pulmonary rehabilitation helps patients struggling with black lung disease improve their well-being.
