August 13, 2018 - Cecil Roberts has been elected to a sixth term as the international president of the United Mine Workers of America.

“I am extremely humbled by this great honor the membership has bestowed upon me,” Roberts said in the news release. “I stand ready to continue to live up to the tremendous responsibilities that come with this office. We have a lot of work to do as we fight to preserve the pensions our retirees have earned and keep our active members working in safe, secure jobs with the best pay and benefits possible.”

Roberts, 71, is known as a fiery, passionate speaker and has battled in recent years to protect retired union worker pensions as the coal industry has slumped. He has led civil disobedience protests that sometimes end with him and other union miners being arrested.

 Cecil Roberts gives a fiery speech during a West Virginia teacher walkout rally earlier this year.

The West Virginia native said in the release that he will focus on retired miner pensions, mine safety and preserving jobs. Roberts said the union will "fight for those pensions to our last breath."

Roberts and his leadership team received nominations from 307 out of 308 local unions that held nomination meetings over the summer. The presidency of the union is a five-year term.

Levi Allen, Roberts’ running mate, has been elected to his first full term as international secretary-treasurer.

The Roberts leadership team received the nomination of 307 UMWA local unions, the release said. The team was the only nominees to meet the 20 percent threshold who are automatically elected to five-year terms by acclimation.

“There are those who say we need to roll back regulations that keep miners and other workers safe on the job,” Roberts said in the release. “To them, I say we will never compromise on health and safety at work. We have come too far and saved too many lives in America’s coal mines and workplaces to turn the clock back to a day when workers did not know if they would return home from their shift.”

Other elected positions include:

At-Large International Vice Presidents

Don Barnett

James Gibbs

Donnie Samms

International District Vice Presidents

Chuck Knisell, District 2 (Pennsylvania, New York, Eastern Canada)

Steve Earle, District 12 (midwestern United States)

Gary Trout, District 17 (southern West Virginia, southern Ohio, eastern Kentucky, Virginia)

Larry Spencer, District 20 (southern United States)

Mike Dalpiaz, District 22 (western United States)

Rick Altman, District 31 (northern West Virginia, eastern Ohio)

International Auditor-Tellers

Jody Dukart, Canada

Tanya James, eastern United States

Roy Fernandez, western United States