Labor leader says Massey mine put profits before safety

Twenty-nine confirmed deaths is the toll in a West Virginia mine disaster that is raising questions about the mine operator’s safety record.  "This incident isn’t just a matter of happenstance, but rather the inevitable result of a profit-driven system and reckless corporate conduct," AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka said.

 

Last year the non-union mine had received more than 500 citations from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, which carried $897,325 in penalties.

 

Rescue efforts continue for the four miners not yet accounted for.

 

Mine explosions are often caused by a buildup of methane; safety rules require ventilation systems to reduce levels of the gas.  News reports said the mine, operated by a subsidiary of Massey Energy Co., had been cited for several violations relating to proper ventilation.

 

“Strict enforcement of regulations by the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the additional protections a union membership brings are key factors to improving worker safety,” Trumka added.

 

“Investigators from congressional committees, as well as the federal government, have been dispatched to the mine, which will likely bring up questions about the adequacy of the country's mining laws,” according to thehill.com.

 

The CEO of Massey “spent an extraordinary $3 million to engineer the election of a state judge, who then voted to throw out a major damage award against the company,”  the New York Times wrote in an editorial. “He also is the author of an internal memo instructing mine superintendents to put coal production ahead of all other considerations.”

 

The fact that this tragedy, the worst mining accident in more than 25 years, comes in April will give union members impetus to channel their anger, with the approach of Workers Memorial Day on April 28.  That date marks an international day of mourning for workers who have died on the job. And it is also used to rally labor for a renewed effort to pass The Protecting America's Workers Act, to update and strenghten federal OSHA.