Emergency E Action: Fire Don Blankenship

[Omaha Steve]

http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/fire_blankenship?rk=xp1_G81qv9j6E

Last month, 29 miners died in a tragedy that was completely preventable.

That should have been reason enough to fire CEO Don Blankenship immediately. But he's still at the helm of Massey Energy, and every day he stays on, he continues to endanger his workers.

So this Tuesday, at Massey's annual shareholder meeting, mineworkers, union leaders, and community leaders will be protesting Don Blankenship's callous disregard for human life.

We've put together a petition to send a strong message to Massey Energy shareholders and corporate leaders when they meet Tuesday. Can you help us collect at least 10,000 signatures by MIDNIGHT MONDAY?

Sign now: Tell Massey shareholders to fire Don Blankenship: http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/fire_blankenship?rk=xp1_G81qv9j6E

Don Blankenship's track record includes: ignoring safety regulations, intimidating workers, and spending millions to elect judges who will protect his interests. And he even helps lead the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in its anti-worker campaigns!1,2

He clearly put profits before safety. That should have been reason enough for Massey's board to find a new CEO.

But since the blood of 29 miners wasn't enough for Massey's board to take immediate action to fire him, hopefully the 30% drop in Massey's stock will give them another reason. That's right – Massey's stock is down more than 30% since the Upper Big Branch disaster, and Blankenship is still CEO.

That's why – in addition to hundreds of mine workers, union leaders, and allies – big institutional shareholders are speaking up, too. Will you add your voice?

Tell Massey shareholders: Do the right thing and fire Don Blankenship!

While firing Blankenship won't give even a measure of justice to the families who lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy, every day he stays as CEO is a slap in the face – a painful reminder of the human cost of corporate greed.

We can hold him accountable. Tell Massey Energy: Blankenship has to go!

Thanks so much for all you do for workers' rights.

Sincerely,

Manny, Liz, and the American Rights at Work team

P.S. If Don Blankenship loses his job as the CEO of Massey, he'll almost certainly lose his seat on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, too. That'll send a powerful message that corporate America can't ignore: a callous, low-road, anti-worker approach to management is not the way to go.

Please take action now – call on Massey's board to fire Don Blankenship and replace him with someone who cares about worker safety.

1 http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/40533
2 http://www.uschamber.com/about/board/all.htm

[Skidmore]

1. Isn't he also the owner of those mines?

[Omaha Steve]

2. Almost

Massey owns the mines. He pretty much runs Massey like he owns it.

[MH1]

3. The person most ecstatic about the Gulf oil spill

Don Blankenship.

replaced as the poster boy for corporate greed and incompetence by BP.