By Dylan Vidovich, The Logan Banner
LOGAN, W.Va. — Local attorney Joe Spradling, who was defeated earlier this year in another bid for Logan County Prosecuting Attorney, confronted the Logan County Commission Monday evening over their recent decision to hire outside legal counsel to deal with matters involving the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA).
As previously reported by The Logan Banner, commissioners voted on Aug. 13 to hire Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC to represent the commission in “any dealings with the UMWA.” Steptoe & Johnson is a nationwide firm with a Charleston office that specializes in handling cases related to U.S. energy, labor and employment, litigation, and transactional law.
“Since we’ve never had any kind of experience in this kind of matter, we felt like — I feel like — that we could benefit from some outside counsel so we don’t do something wrong,” Barnette said.
According to a press release by the UMWA released Sept. 17, the union received a letter from Steptoe & Johnson on Sept. 4 stating that the commission would refuse to recognize and bargain with the UMWA. In the press release, UMWA International President Cecil Roberts also notes that the commission’s payment to Steptoe & Johnson is a rate of $400 per hour.
The news is the latest in a nearly yearlong back-and-forth between the commission and the UMWA, which has approached several counties throughout West Virginia about allowing county employees to collectively bargain through their union.
