UMW Demands Safer Coal Mines

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2006/oct/24/102407087.html

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - About 100 West Virginia and Pennsylvania coal miners protested at a federal mine safety office Tuesday, demanding stronger safety measures and better enforcement in the nation's coal mines.

A day earlier, a Pennsylvania miner was killed in an explosion, bringing the number of coal-mine fatalities to 42 this year.

Members of the United Mine Workers gathered outside the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration's District 3 headquarters in Morgantown, where the agency's district managers were meeting.

Union spokesman Phil Smith said the miners want to meet with new MSHA chief Richard Stickler to discuss 17 proposed safety regulations that were scrapped by the Bush administration in 2001. Stickler, who started work Monday, did not attend the Morgantown meeting.

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[no_hypocrisy]

1. Reminds of the eternal "Number Nine Coal"

by Billy Edd Wheeler

Travelin' down that coal town road. Listenin' to my rubber tires whine.
Goodbye to Buckeye and white Sycamore. I'm leavin' you behind.
I've been coal miner all of my life. Layin' down track in the hole.
Gotta back like an ironwood, bit by the wind. Blood veins blue as the coal. Blood veins blue as the coal.

Somebody said, That's a strange tattoo you have on the side of your head.
I said, That's the blueprint left by the coal. A little more and I'd been dead.
Well, I love the rumble and I love the dark. I love the cool of the slade,
And it's on down the new road, lookin' for a job. This travelin' nook in my head.

I stood for the union and walked in the line and fought against the company.
I stood for the U. M. W. of A. Now, who's gonna stand for me?
I've got no house and I got no job, just got a worried soul
And a blue tattoo on the side of my head left by the number nine coal. Left by the number nine coal.

Some day when I'm dead and gone to heaven, the land of my dreams.
I won't have to worry on losin' my job, on bad times and big machines.
I ain't gonna pay my money away on dues or hospital plans.
I'm gonna pick coal where the blue heavens roll and sing with the angel band.

[Bluzmann57]

2. As usual, Union is looking out for the working stiffs

Boy we need Unions more than ever now. I join my Union brothers and sisters in demanding better mine safety.

[cmd]

3. This coalminer's daughter stands with you n/t

[ljm2002]

4. I have a question...

...does anyone know the rate of coal mine accidents, pre-Bush and post-Bush?

It sure seems to me like we're seeing more of them.