PATRIOT BANKRUPTCY CASE 10 Arrested At Protest Of Patriot Bankruptcy Case
Reported by: Associated Press
Web Producer: Heath Harrison
Also Contributing: Heath Harrison
Reported: Feb. 13, 2013 2:59 PM EST
Updated: Feb. 13, 2013 3:42 PM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
St. Louis, Missouri
Ten people have been arrested in St. Louis during a protest of bankruptcy proceedings that they say jeopardizes pension and health care benefits for some 20,000 retirees and dependents.
The United Mine Workers of America led the protest Wednesday outside of the St. Louis headquarters of Peabody Energy, one of the nation's largest coal companies and one of the companies the union accuses of orchestrating business deals that bankrupted Patriot Coal.
About 1,000 people took part in the protest. United Mine Workers of America Secretary Treasurer Dan Kane and nine others were peacefully arrested after sitting in the street in front of Peabody's headquarters.
Patriot spokeswoman Janine Orf said the benefits cuts are part of the effort to save the company.
UMWA President Cecil Roberts took issue with Patriot's decision to distribute $6 million in bonuses to executives and top managers.
“While Patriot is handing out cash to managers and executives, thousands of retirees and widows the company is responsible for are worried about having to choose between buying groceries or getting the prescription drugs they need to live,” Roberts said in a news release. “That $6 million would pay for a month’s worth of health care for retirees, dependents and widows."
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