Crossposted from Hillbilly Report.
There is sad news yet again to report from the Coal mining industry. On the heels of the worst coal mining disaster in American history two more coal miners have died on the job. Justin Travis of Dixon, Ky., was 27. Michael Carter of Hanson, Ky., was 28. Both of these men were taken from this earth far too soon in their young lives and before saying anything else we would like to offer our sincerest condolences to these young men and the families they leave behind. We consider ourselves first and foremost a blog dedicated to advancing the interests of working men and women everywhere, and are saddened by the events that occurred taking the lives of two men who just wanted to make a living.
While the deaths were not as numerous as the ones less than a month ago in West Virginia one fact remains clear. ANY death is one too many. Especially when you consider the records of the companies whose workers died.
Consider Massey Mine from weeks ago:
On Monday, April 5, an explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia killed 29 workers and raised new questions about the safety record of Massey Energy, the company that owns the mine. But as Mike Lillis reported, other Massey mines have been cited for a slew of safety violations that could put miners’ lives in danger. The Freedom Energy Mine #1 in Pike County, Ky., for example, has received 250 citations for safety violations since the Upper Big Branch accident, including 68 violations deemed "significant and substantial," meaning they are "reasonably likely to result in a reasonably serious injury or illness under the unique circumstance contributed to by the violations."
http://washingtonindependent.com/...
In fact, just look at the list provided at the link!!
Which brings us to the common link between Massey and the Dotiki mine where this accident occurred. Phil Smith of the United Mine Workers summed it up nicely:
"Once again, two miners are dead, and we're waiting to see what exactly happened to cause it," said Phil Smith, a spokesman for the United Mine Workers union.
Smith noted that state and federal records indicated the Dotiki Mine had a history of safety problems, including some of the most serious citations inspectors can issue.
U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration records showed more than 850 citations and enforcement orders issued to the Dotiki Mine since January 2009.
During the mine's most recent complete inspection, which ended March 31, the MSHA inspectors cited at least 10 violations of federal roof-control standards, among other things.
http://sundaygazettemail.com/...
He also offered up this sobering assessment:
"Safety in a coal mine is the responsibility of the operator, first and foremost," Smith said. "It's become abundantly clear recently that some coal operators aren't going to follow current law, no matter what the level of enforcement is.
And this much needed suggestion:
"That means we must develop tougher laws, with tougher penalties that include criminal actions that can be taken against upper corporate management, if appropriate," Smith said.
As in the banking crisis our country needs to get the mindset that just like the criminals who sold "shitty deals" to rip off their clients, Executives who send their workers into known unsafe conditions getting them killed to pinch pennies deserve to be branded as criminals. The person who drinks a 12 pack and drives down the road and crashes into a family of 4 killing them knows his unsafe actions can cause death. How is sending miners into known unsafe conditions where they are killed different??
It is time that workers and people mattered in this country more than whether a CEO can make seven figures or not. I fear if the climate is not changed in this country soon it will continue to cause many needless deaths among those who simply seek to attain the middle class. We should all be outraged at the lack of respect for work in this country. That is what we really need to march on Washington about. Criminalizing anyone that knowingly endangers their workers, costing them their young lives.