A Screed on Workplace Safety (and entombed miners)...

[catnhatnh]

I am on ss disability after suffering a workplace injury at a manufacturing plant of a fortune 500 company...the night I was injured, a banner was hung on a second floor railing stating that we were an OSHA Gold Star Plant...I worked in what was called a "team environment" were 4 teams of 17 people (really more like 13-15) ran a plant that produced a heck of a lot (read over a million board foot) of drywall a shift..Long story short-while this plant received kudos and flags from the federal government the plant ate people...like myself, who fractured several vertabrae or the young kid who had his right thumb severed his first week on the job, who was fired when they found he "violated safety procedures"...picture life without your right thumb...In short, in America ALL safety rules are treated as "suggestions"...when I was hurt and when the young fellow lost his thumb, we were exceeding the design parameters for how you run a factory that large (it was a full quarter of a mile from my mid point position to where the kid was mamed) with that few people-the design was an optimum....ie:when it ran OK then 17 people were enough,but when shorthanded or in case of a problem, more often the results were poor...This at one of the best corporations extant...So at this marginal mine I cannot even imagine conditions-but I can guarantee you this-The company will be insured and compensated-and the family members will be fucked-sorry for the french..

[Erika]

1. It's the Republican Way

Blame the worker and give protection to business. That is the whole business plan.

Sorry to hear of your problems.

[catnhatnh]

3. My problems are nothing,,,

...just one more 50 year old bull crippled at a hard job-I suspected it might hurt me but never figured it would kill me...and it did not...sure it took me from 40K plus a year to an SS 12K and probably cost me my marriage..But I can probably expect to live another 30 years (in pain) and it would be unfair to bitch about how instead of a working life with a wife and a life and children I am left instead with an empty house,a disability pension and an intimate knowledge of what is on TV Land at 2-3- and 4 in the morning...but why bitch-I'm sure divine leader thinks I'm screwing him...

[Dr.Phool]

2. Wilbur Ross, the guy who owns the mine is a billionaire corporate raider

I worked in LTV Steel's Railroad Division, when he bought the company out of bankruptcy. When they first re-started operations, and before they had a new union contract, management ran roughshod over the employees, meaning speak up about a safety issue, and you can go home and never come back.

About a week later, a friend and co-worker with 30 years railroad experience was crushed to death between 2 railroad cars.

Ross went on to buy Bethlehem Steel, and fuck everyone there out of their pensions, and benefits. He sold it for a huge profit, and decided to get into the coal mining business. And the former owner there, Massey, had a reputation as one of the worst, with a history of long strikes over wage, and safety issues.

[catnhatnh]

4. Yet, tonight, the corporate spokesman...

...called for God's gentle mercy and a miracle...Surely you are mistaken???

[GrpCaptMandrake]

5. Thank you

for an excellent job of pointing out that no matter the horror, a true corporatist will always seek its level. This mine disaster will ultimately make for a net gain for IGC. Workers Comp has been gutted in this state and the disaster started the day after our new "privatized" comp scheme took effect. Much lower death benefits, etc. Much tougher process for claimants.

Meanwhile, the workers' families can't sue the company: it has workers comp immunity.

And IGC will squeeze every last damned dime out of their insurance company.

This isn't business anymore. It's organized crime.

I'm sorry for what happened to you. To your credit, it didn't affect your ability to see through the smoke and mirrors.