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From the Beshear-Coleman campaign: Beshear, Hatton, Finn and Earle on Blackjewel Miners getting paid.

Berry Craig
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andy Beshear and state Rep. Angie Hatton are taking to social media to weigh in on the news that the Blackjewel miners are finally getting paid.

Beshear said: "These miners were betrayed not only by Blackjewel but by their own state government, which failed to enforce the law that could have protected their wages. Credit goes to our miners who stood strong & captured the attention of the whole country, which led to today's great news."

Hatton said: "Finally! Great news for BlackJewel Miners & their families. I’m proud of these folks for standing up for themselves. I’m not quite so proud of our Governor taking credit for fixing this when it was his administration’s failure to enforce bond requirement that allowed it to happen." 

 Statement from Bill Finn, state Director, Kentucky State Building and Construction Trades Council: “Shame on the governor and his Labor Cabinet for trying to take credit when the Blackjewel miners would have been paid months ago if Matt Bevin followed the law. Bottom line: This victory is about the Backjewel miners and their families — and the justice they’ve finally received. I am still concerned that Matt Bevin now wants to repeal the law that could have gotten the Blackjewel miners paid because no Kentuckian should ever be put in this situation again.”

Statement from Steve Earle, vice president of the United Mine Workers of America District 12 in response to the news that the Blackjewel miners are finally getting paid: “What happened to the Blackjewel miners should never happen again. Our miners face unprecedented challenges and deserve to be paid for their hard work and have opportunities to earn a good living for their families. I’m proud they stood together and won this battle for themselves and their families. But the fact remains that if Matt Bevin had done his job they would have been paid months ago."