Fed up, frustrated and now fired up, retired Century Aluminum Employees rallied at the West Virginia State Capitol saying the company is taking away health care benefits and breaking promises.
Many retirees say they've been robbed after receiving letters months ago explaining their health benefits would be dropped, cut or reduced.
The group says one of their own, Sam McKinney, was so stressed out about not being able to pay for health care, he died from a heart attack.
Standing up and making their voices heard, retirees from Century Aluminum say they paid their dues and now they're denied and demanding health care benefits.
"They didn't give that to us after we earned it and took concessions for it," Larry Williams said. "We even turned down raises in order to keep our health care and then down the road they turned around shut us out."
Most retirees will lose their benefits July 1, with costs that for some are really adding up including one man living with leukemia.
"You're looking at $750,000 and I don't have that many jars buried in my backyard," Bryce Turner said. "In fact, I don't have any so I need the health insurance."
Former employees actually applauded lawmakers efforts in shooting down a bill that could have reopened Century's doors, getting workers back on the job.
The bill would have capped the company's electric bill through a tax credit.
"We don't want to see it reopen on our backs," David Painter said. "That's what they wanted to do."
"We want to be heard in this state and we want to have value," rally organizer Karen Gorrell said. "Century Aluminum made all these men feel they had no value and we refuse to accept that."
Even though benefits were cut, one senator felt keeping the plant closed won't help them and desperately wanted the bill to pass.
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