UMWA President Kentucky-bound for union discussion with Lunsford

United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts is scheduled to be the latest national labor leader to visit Kentucky during the general election season. Roberts will appear in Louisville next Monday, meeting with union workers, U.S. Sen. candidate Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville), and state AFL-CIO president Bill Londrigan.

The meeting is purportedly an effort to discuss how recent economic fluctuations will impact workers’ “economic future and choices in the upcoming elections,” according to a release from the national AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO has endorsed the presidential candidacy of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) against U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lunsford, in his contest against incumbent U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville).

“Working people in Kentucky are facing a road of economic turmoil, loss of good jobs, and home foreclosures,” said Londrigan in a statement. “John McCain’s and Mitch McConnell’s records show that they would support more of the same.”

“We want to discuss which candidates’ records will turn us around towards economic prosperity and which will keep us on the same road,” added Londrigan of the meeting.

Roberts’ visit comes as the AFL-CIO is intensifying their efforts in Kentucky. With a goal of touting their endorsed candidates to 300,000 union voters in the Commonwealth this cycle, the union organization has distributed thousands of anti-McConnell mailers. Former AFL-CIO Director of Organizing Stewart Acuff also stumped in opposition to McConnell, in Louisville earlier this month.

For his part, Roberts has already talked up Lunsford’s candidacy. In a fiery speech before Kentucky’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention, Roberts said the election of a Democratic Senator in Kentucky would be helpful for unions trying to pass favored legislation, such as the Employee Free Choice Act.

“We’ve got 52 votes in the U.S. Senate for the Employee Free Choice Act,” said Roberts in late August. “Most of those are Democrats – give us one more Democrat.”

The “roundtable” discussion with Roberts, Lunsford, and Londrigan is set for 11am at Monday morning at a United Auto Workers meeting hall in Louisville.