Kenneth Yablonski
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Yablonski was a noted attorney with the firm of Yablonski, Costello and Leckie in Washington, Pennsylvania
.
Kenneth Yablonski was born in 1934 to Joseph "Jock"
and Ann Huffman Yablonski. He obtained a bachelor's degree
from Waynesburg College in 1956 and received his J.D.
from West Virginia University
College of Law in 1959.
In 1961, he co-founded the firm of Yablonski, Costello and Leckie, and remained with the firm for the rest of his life.
In 1964, Yablonski won a precedent-setting case involving benefits to survivors of a mine disaster. A mine explosion occurred at U.S. Steel's Robena No. 3 Mine in Greene County, Pennsylvania
on December 8, 1962. A total of 37 miners lost their lives. Yablonski won a court order forcing the local coroner to perform an inquest, which subsequently provided evidence that helped the families win expanded survivors' benefits from the Pennsylvania Workmens' Compensation Board.
and Daniel Edelman, and sons Kenneth and Joseph "Chip" Yablonski. Jock Yablonski brought five suits alleging that Boyle and UMWA had denied him use of the union's mailing lists as provided for by law, that he had been removed from his position as acting director of Labor's Non-Partisan League in retaliation for his candidacy, that the UMW Journal was being used by Boyle as a campaign and propaganda mouthpiece, that UMWA had no rules for fair elections and printed nearly 51,000 excess ballots which should be destroyed, and that UMWA had violated its fiduciary duties by spending union funds on Boyle's re-election.
On December 31, 1969, Jock Yablonski, his wife, and his 25-year-old daughter Charlotte were murdered by three assassins hired by Boyle and paid for with embezzled union money. Worried that he had not heard from his family since Christmas, Ken Yablonski and a friend drove to the Yablonski home in Clarksville, Pennsylvania
on January 5, 1970 and discovered the bodies of his slain family.
In the aftermath of his family's murders, Kenneth Yablonski joined with his brother and other miners to form Miners for Democracy, a reform movement within UMWA. Lou Antal, president of UMWA District 5, hired Kenneth Yablonski to represent him as he attempted to overturn his district's 1970 election results (which had been rigged by Boyle).
The ensuing outcry over the murders led to the 1969 election being overturned and miner Arnold Miller
unseated Boyle in 1972.
Yablonski continued to represent individual miners in various cases throughout his life. In the 1980s, he won several black lung disease cases, overcoming employer objections to providing medical and financial benefits for stricken miners and their families.
In 1982, Yablonski won a precedent-setting Supreme Court case concerning attorney's fees.
United Steelworkers reformer Edward Sadlowski
ran for president of the international union in 1977 and for District 31 president in 1973. He lost both times, and filed election fraud petitions with the United States Department of Labor
(DOL). DOL found evidence of fraud and sued to overturn the 1973 election. The Steelworkers union settled the case out-of-court. Sadlowski then sued the union to recover his legal fees, incurred by Yablonski, Joseph Rauh and two others. On December 16, 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed that the union must cover the cost of legal fees up until the time Sadlowski filed his DOL fraud claim. The award was a major victory for individuals who successfully sue their labor unions over corruption.
's film, Harlan County, USA
, which won the 1976 Academy Award for Documentary Feature
. He is shown making an emotional public statement, saying "We [my brother and I] loved and admired our father. We respected him, and my brother and I would like to carry him to his final resting place. But we deem it proper to do otherwise. My brother Joseph with our cousins from my mother's family will carry our mother, and I with our cousins from my father's family will carry our sister Charlotte. We entrust our father to the coal miners, whom he loved so much."
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
.
Kenneth Yablonski was born in 1934 to Joseph "Jock"
Joseph Yablonski
Joseph Albert "Jock" Yablonski was an American labor leader in the United Mine Workers in the 1950s and 1960s. He was murdered in 1969 by killers hired by a union political opponent, Mine Workers president W. A. Boyle...
and Ann Huffman Yablonski. He obtained a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Waynesburg College in 1956 and received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
College of Law in 1959.
In 1961, he co-founded the firm of Yablonski, Costello and Leckie, and remained with the firm for the rest of his life.
In 1964, Yablonski won a precedent-setting case involving benefits to survivors of a mine disaster. A mine explosion occurred at U.S. Steel's Robena No. 3 Mine in Greene County, Pennsylvania
Greene County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 40,672 people, 15,060 households, and 10,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
on December 8, 1962. A total of 37 miners lost their lives. Yablonski won a court order forcing the local coroner to perform an inquest, which subsequently provided evidence that helped the families win expanded survivors' benefits from the Pennsylvania Workmens' Compensation Board.
Father's murder and union activism
In the 1960s, Yablonski's father, Jock, made a number of attempts to reform the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). Jock Yablonski ran for the presidency of UMWA in 1969 against W. A. Boyle and lost in an election. He sued to overturn the election with the assistance of labor attorneys Joseph RauhJoseph L. Rauh, Jr.
Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. was one of the United States' foremost civil rights and civil liberties lawyers. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, by President Bill Clinton on November 30, 1993.-Early life:Rauh was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the...
and Daniel Edelman, and sons Kenneth and Joseph "Chip" Yablonski. Jock Yablonski brought five suits alleging that Boyle and UMWA had denied him use of the union's mailing lists as provided for by law, that he had been removed from his position as acting director of Labor's Non-Partisan League in retaliation for his candidacy, that the UMW Journal was being used by Boyle as a campaign and propaganda mouthpiece, that UMWA had no rules for fair elections and printed nearly 51,000 excess ballots which should be destroyed, and that UMWA had violated its fiduciary duties by spending union funds on Boyle's re-election.
On December 31, 1969, Jock Yablonski, his wife, and his 25-year-old daughter Charlotte were murdered by three assassins hired by Boyle and paid for with embezzled union money. Worried that he had not heard from his family since Christmas, Ken Yablonski and a friend drove to the Yablonski home in Clarksville, Pennsylvania
Clarksville, Pennsylvania
Clarksville is a borough in Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 234 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clarksville is located at ....
on January 5, 1970 and discovered the bodies of his slain family.
In the aftermath of his family's murders, Kenneth Yablonski joined with his brother and other miners to form Miners for Democracy, a reform movement within UMWA. Lou Antal, president of UMWA District 5, hired Kenneth Yablonski to represent him as he attempted to overturn his district's 1970 election results (which had been rigged by Boyle).
The ensuing outcry over the murders led to the 1969 election being overturned and miner Arnold Miller
Arnold Miller
Arnold Miller was a miner and labor activist who served as president of the United Mine Workers of America , AFL-CIO, from 1972 to 1979.-Early life and mining career:...
unseated Boyle in 1972.
Continuing legal work
Although he later ended his relationship with Miller due to differences over Miller's leadership of the international union, Yablonski continued to serve as an attorney with his father's old District 5, advising on workers' compensation issues and acting as counsel until 1981.Yablonski continued to represent individual miners in various cases throughout his life. In the 1980s, he won several black lung disease cases, overcoming employer objections to providing medical and financial benefits for stricken miners and their families.
In 1982, Yablonski won a precedent-setting Supreme Court case concerning attorney's fees.
United Steelworkers reformer Edward Sadlowski
Edward Sadlowski
Edward Sadlowski, also known as "Oil Can Eddie", is a United States labor activist and a past Director of United Steelworkers of America, District 31....
ran for president of the international union in 1977 and for District 31 president in 1973. He lost both times, and filed election fraud petitions with the United States Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
(DOL). DOL found evidence of fraud and sued to overturn the 1973 election. The Steelworkers union settled the case out-of-court. Sadlowski then sued the union to recover his legal fees, incurred by Yablonski, Joseph Rauh and two others. On December 16, 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed that the union must cover the cost of legal fees up until the time Sadlowski filed his DOL fraud claim. The award was a major victory for individuals who successfully sue their labor unions over corruption.
Memberships
Yablonski was a director of the Yablonski Memorial Clinic. The clinic was founded in 1955 by UMWA to bring health care to mining families in rural areas of Pennsylvania. Originally called the Centerville Clinic, it was renamed the Yablonski Memorial Clinic in honor of his father. Yablonski served as chairman of the board of directors of the clinic until his death.Legacy
Kenneth Yablonski appears in documentary filmmaker Barbara KoppleBarbara Kopple
Barbara Kopple is an American film director, primarily known for her work in documentary film.-Biography:She grew up in Scarsdale, New York, the daughter of a textile executive and studied psychology at Northeastern University, after which she worked with the Maysles Brothers.Kopple has won two...
's film, Harlan County, USA
Harlan County, USA
Harlan County, USA is an Oscar-winning 1976 documentary film covering the "Brookside Strike" or "Bloody Harlan", an effort of 180 coal miners and their wives against the Duke Power Company-owned Eastover Coal Company's Brookside Mine and Prep Plant in Harlan County, Kentucky in 1973...
, which won the 1976 Academy Award for Documentary Feature
Academy Award for Documentary Feature
The Academy Award for Documentary Feature is among the most prestigious awards for documentary films.- Winners and nominees:Following the Academy's practice, films are listed below by the award year...
. He is shown making an emotional public statement, saying "We [my brother and I] loved and admired our father. We respected him, and my brother and I would like to carry him to his final resting place. But we deem it proper to do otherwise. My brother Joseph with our cousins from my mother's family will carry our mother, and I with our cousins from my father's family will carry our sister Charlotte. We entrust our father to the coal miners, whom he loved so much."