Mine workers union president to discuss impact of climate change initiatives on coal industry, Sept. 4

International President of the United Mine Workers of America Cecil Roberts will discuss the impact of climate change legislation on the future of the coal industry at a National Press Club Headliners Newsmaker on Sept. 4.

The Headliners Newsmaker news conference will be held at 10 a.m. in the First Amendment Lounge. Register online. This event is open to credentialed media and Club members free of charge, with advance registration required.

Climate change initiatives, such as “The Green New Deal,” “Keep it in the Ground,” and Michael Bloomberg’s campaign to close every coal-fired power plant in the United States, could have far-reaching consequences for the energy industry. United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) says the passage of a carbon tax could threaten two million direct jobs in 14 energy-intensive industries.

Roberts is also expected to discuss how energy and coal issues might play in the 2020 election. UMWA offered initiatives to Democratic presidential candidates that it says could decarbonize U.S. fossil fuel energy production while preserving jobs, and has invited each of the candidates to visit a coal mine.

Roberts, who also serves as a vice president of the AFL-CIO, will talk about pending legislation to help troubled multi-employer pension funds. Absent congressional action, the UMWA multi-employer pension fund is expected to become insolvent by 2022-23 at the latest, the first of several major pension funds to do so.