Miners say Kingstons treating them unfairly

A crowd of labor union members, students, social justice advocates and legislators from states across the country gathered Saturday in front of a Salt Lake City office building owned by the Kingston polygamist clan to protest the treatment of coal miners at the Kingstons' Huntington coal mine.

Activists gathered in front of the building at 624 N. 300 West where they were met by representatives of the polygamous clan, who took photos of the protesters and tried to keep them from trespassing on Kingston property.

"You ain't intimidating anybody," yelled one protester.

"Take your pictures," shouted another.

They carried signs with such slogans as "Kingston polygs treat workers like garbage" and "Defense of liberty and justice begins at home."

Clan member John Daniel Kingston refused to speak to the Deseret Morning News.

Alyson Kennedy, an underground miner for the Kingstons' C.W. Mining Co., told the crowd that while the average wage for mine workers in Utah is $15 to $20 per hour, Kingston miners, many of whom are immigrants from Latin America and do not speak English, make only about $5.50.

At this, the crowd broke out in a chant of "Shame on you," pointing toward Kingston. Kingston responded to Kennedy's claims that miners receive "no decent benefits, no pension" by yelling, "What she says is not true."

The protest was organized as a joint effort by Jobs with Justice, the Central Labor Council and the AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO is holding a national conference in Salt Lake City to correspond with an upcoming conference of the National Association of State Legislators.

About a dozen protesters were lawmakers from states across the country. One local legislator was Sen. Ed Mayne, D-West Valley City, who is also president of the Utah AFL-CIO.

The National Labor Relations Board issued a settlement agreement between miners and the Kingstons late last month, resolving the case filed by the United Mine Workers of America on behalf of the workers. In it, the miners claimed they were illegally fired for seeking representation from the United Mine Workers of America. They also argued that they were intimidated and subjected to hazardous working conditions and low pay.

They have accepted an agreement to return to work but have vowed to continue fighting.