| West Virginia was the second largest producer | | | | Acme Steel Co. and Weirton Steel Co., all in |
| of coal in the United States in 2005, | | | | bankruptcy at the time. However, the deals |
| producing 160 million tons or 13% of total | | | | depended on the United Steelworkers Union |
| production, while Wyoming was number one, | | | | agreeing to contract concessions and billions |
| producing 380 million tons, approximately 35% | | | | of dollars in unfunded pension benefits which |
| of the nation's total coal production. | | | | were ultimately dumped on the federal pension |
| However, the coal produced by West Virginia | | | | benefits program by Ross and now paid by the |
| is more in demand than that which is produced | | | | U.S. taxpayers.Unlike the steel business, |
| in western states as it is considered a | | | | however, coal mining is dependent upon safety |
| cleaner burning coal.With demand for | | | | measures necessary to execute every 24-hours, |
| alternative energy sources in the U.S. at an | | | | requiring constant follow-up. It can mean the |
| all time high, the price of coal doubled over | | | | difference between life and death. The |
| the past two years, as natural gas and oil | | | | learning curve has changed with investors who |
| prices have sky rocketed with supplies | | | | did not originate from the mining industry |
| diminishing, especially in the wake of | | | | and running mining operations, some of which |
| Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico in | | | | have been closed for years, and housing a |
| August of 2005. The Gulf produces nearly 40% | | | | host of unsafe conditions much less present |
| of the nation's natural gas and refines | | | | in a maintained mine. In addition, many |
| nearly 30% of the nation's oil and is still | | | | unskilled miners are coming into the |
| hampered by the storm's devastation. In 2006, | | | | workforce in non-union environments and lax |
| coal is expected to provide over 50% of the | | | | federal government oversight, in which many |
| energy necessary for U.S. electric utilities | | | | citations and fines in very small amounts are |
| and speculators expect the future of the coal | | | | doled out, rarely if ever shutting down a |
| industry to extend its growth over the next | | | | mine for unsafe working conditions.Much has |
| decade, returning to its rate of production | | | | been publicized about the number of citations |
| prior to the 1970's.The tragedies of the 2005 | | | | Sago Mine received in 2005. MSHA levied 208 |
| hurricane season along the Gulf Coast as well | | | | citations, orders and/or safeguards. Half of |
| as the subsequent flooding of New Orleans, LA | | | | the citations were for "significant |
| served to expose flawed emergency services | | | | violations" which generally commanded fines |
| systems on all levels of government in | | | | between $60.00 and $440.00. The fines totaled |
| addition to failed levee maintenance. Victims | | | | approximately $25,000. However, in the |
| who endured Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane | | | | 11-week review ending December 22, 2005 and |
| Rita as well as several other storms in | | | | three times in a period of five days, MSHA |
| Louisiana, Mississippi, parts of Texas as | | | | cited the mine for 46 alleged violations with |
| well as Florida, have been promised that | | | | 18 deemed "unwarrantable failures" and with |
| government and its respective agencies would | | | | three still pending. According to Ben |
| be examined and mistakes made would be | | | | Hatfield, President of ICG, all violations |
| corrected. Yet it remains to be seen if | | | | were corrected; however, the MSHA has yet to |
| proper funding oversight will be followed | | | | publicly release any documents nor will |
| through or if indeed lessons will be | | | | comment on the three pending |
| learned.Similarly, the mining explosion of | | | | violations.Serious violations which Sago was |
| Sago Mine in Tallmansville, WVA, in which 12 | | | | cited for included failing to enforce an |
| miners lost their lives on January 2, 2006, | | | | adequate ventilation plan, |
| with one surviving miner who still remains in | | | | key to preventing the buildup of methane |
| a coma as of a week later, will be steeped in | | | | gases which occur naturally underground, |
| paperwork and months of several independent | | | | failing to conduct safety inspections before |
| investigations, including federal and state | | | | each 8-hour shift, 11 roof collapses over the |
| hearings. While it would appear that running | | | | course of the past year and dangerous buildup |
| a mining operation is fairly straight | | | | of flammable coal dust.While the ICG has |
| forward, the fact that the work in this | | | | skirted answering questions thus far, Ben |
| underground mine is done 25 stories below the | | | | Hatfield did lay blame on the inherited |
| surface of the earth, makes it ripe for facts | | | | problems from the Anker group. But also |
| to be less than forthcoming. But maybe the | | | | important to the upcoming investigations will |
| legacy of the tragedy of Sago will unveil the | | | | be if there were continued failure of safety |
| real cost of the purchase of mining | | | | inspections and prior to entering the mine |
| operations in the 21st century, by investors | | | | over the New Year's weekend, at which time |
| with little or no interest in the history of | | | | the mine was shut for two days. Closed mines |
| mining or its real inherent risks.The | | | | can be deadly especially during winter, when |
| evolution of mining technology as well as the | | | | methane accumulates faster due to cold |
| work of the United Mine Workers Association | | | | temperatures and changes in barometric |
| (UMWA) has led the way for miners' safety | | | | pressure.In addition, Sago did not keep a |
| rights vastly improving the lives of miners | | | | rescue team on site, like a good many |
| throughout the U.S. The UMWA was largely | | | | operations due. And speculation of the delay |
| responsible for the advent of the Federal | | | | in getting a team together was further |
| Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, | | | | hampered by federal and state workers who |
| known as the Coal Act, which established | | | | would normally be available, were not since |
| health and safety standards for miners both | | | | January 2nd was an observed Monday holiday |
| in underground and above-ground mines. The | | | | following New Year's Day. Since Sago chose to |
| Bureau of Mines was given the power to levy | | | | open knowing that it was a state and federal |
| fines and criminal penalties on mines in | | | | holiday it may have put its crews at |
| violation of the law. In addition, free chest | | | | unnecessary risk, as it took 11 hours for a |
| x-rays were available for underground miners | | | | rescue team to be assembled. That will also |
| as well as a compensation fund.The Coal Act | | | | be examined by the several investigations |
| was amended in 1977 in what is now known as | | | | already having been announced.The MSHA will |
| the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, or | | | | conduct its own investigation, and West |
| the Mine Act, which is the prevailing | | | | Virginia Governor, Joe Manchin, III, has |
| legislation today. The Mine Act helped | | | | hired former Director of MSHA under President |
| strengthened the Coal Act with better | | | | Clinton, J. Javitt McAteer, to be special |
| enforcement of its statutes and combined | | | | advisor to the investigation for the state of |
| federal safety and health regulations for all | | | | West Virginia. The White House will lodge |
| mines, coal and non-coal, under the same | | | | another investigation with requests by |
| piece of legislation. In addition, a new | | | | Senators and the House Representatives |
| agency within the Department of Labor, known | | | | calling for hearings on Sago as well as on |
| as the Mine Safety and Health Administration | | | | mine safety.Similar to the discovered cuts in |
| (MSHA) was established with a director | | | | the funding of levee maintenance after |
| appointed by the president of the U.S.The | | | | Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, funding |
| UMWA was founded in Columbus, OH in 1890 with | | | | for MSHA for 2006 was cut $5 million from |
| the merger of the Knights of Labor Trade | | | | 2005. The agency also has seen a decrease of |
| Assembly No. 135 and the National Progressive | | | | 170 staffers since 2001. Also, 17 proposed |
| Union of Miners and Mine Laborers. Its | | | | standards to further protect miners' safety |
| initial constitution "barred discrimination | | | | and health were denied by MSHA. The entire |
| based on race, religion, or national origin." | | | | budget for MSHA for 2006 is $280 million. It |
| It was a leader in fighting racism and ethnic | | | | is expected that its appropriations will be |
| discrimination before the turn of the 20th | | | | reviewed.Senator Robert Byrd (D-WVA) has |
| century. Also included in their early fights, | | | | announced that the first Congressional |
| the UMWA fought for the 8-hour day in 1898, | | | | hearing on the Sago Mine will be held on |
| followed by collective bargaining rights in | | | | January 19, 2005, which will include federal |
| 1933, health and retirement benefits in 1946 | | | | and state mine safety officials, labor and |
| and the eventual health and safety | | | | business representatives as well as academic |
| protections resulting in federal legislation | | | | experts in mine safety testifying. Senator |
| in 1969.And perhaps most important to the | | | | Ted Kennedy (D-MA) as well as Senator Jay |
| UMWA's accomplishments was its plowing the | | | | Rockefeller (D-WVA) have also called for a |
| way for the National Industrial Recovery Act, | | | | series of Senate hearings on the broader |
| which granted workers the right to form | | | | issues impacting mine safety. Representative |
| unions and bargain collectively with their | | | | George Miller (D-CA) and ranking member of |
| employers. And after the success of | | | | the House Education and Workforce Committee |
| organizing the nation's coal miners, the UMWA | | | | has requested all documents relevant to the |
| extended its work to the steel and auto | | | | Sago mine disaster from Labor Secretary, |
| industries in order to help those workers | | | | Elaine Chao. Rep. Miller expects to hold |
| organize.While fatalities in the mines have | | | | hearings after the Senate hearings. No |
| fallen significantly over the past century | | | | reports for any of the investigations, |
| and working conditions improved, by the | | | | however, are expected before July 2006.The |
| 1980's many of the smaller mines went out of | | | | Government Accountability Office in 2003 |
| business, with more nuclear power plants | | | | found that over the past decade, inspectors |
| coming online and the with the oil crisis of | | | | had often failed to ensure that violations |
| the 1970's supposedly over. Coal became less | | | | were corrected by deadlines. In addition, |
| of a necessity. Many mines which remained | | | | there has been criticism that political |
| opened decided to hire only non-union | | | | appointees running MSHA are primarily former |
| personnel. With fewer jobs available in rural | | | | mining executives from the private sector, |
| communities, workers became willing to forego | | | | and there exists a fundamental conflict of |
| union benefits and guaranteed pension plans. | | | | interest in issuing citations and such |
| They sacrificed the transparency with | | | | diminutive fines. Further, the Congress has |
| management regarding safety concerns which | | | | not held one hearing in either the Senate or |
| the union provided them and without fear of | | | | House on mining safety issues since 2001.On |
| retribution.Today, according to Cecil E. | | | | September 23, 2001, 13 coal miners died at |
| Roberts, President of the UMWA, only 32-35% | | | | the Jim Walter Resources (JWR) Blue Creek No. |
| of all mines are union shops. With the | | | | 5 mine in Brookwood, Alabama. In June 2003, |
| majority of today's miners comprised of an | | | | the Federal Mine Safety and Health |
| aging workforce in their late 40's and 50's | | | | Administration fined Walter Industries more |
| facing retirement, cash bonuses and higher | | | | than $400,000 for eight safety violations |
| salaries are luring the next generation, now | | | | that "directly contributed" to the 2001 |
| in their 20's. In the past 20 years as mines | | | | accident. The company subsequently appealed |
| shut down and union-busting was rampant, | | | | the fine. In November of 2005, an |
| workers were headed to other cities for more | | | | administrative law judge on behalf of MSHA |
| lucrative manufacturing jobs. But with steel | | | | threw out six of the eight safety violations |
| mills on the decline, textile mills losing | | | | and slashed the fines to $3,000. Let us hope |
| out to overseas manufacturing and impending | | | | that history does not repeat itself and that |
| layoffs of automakers, the coalmines are | | | | we learn from this crisis. Here is but one |
| becoming the last bastion for those living in | | | | more opportunity to do right by our miners. |
| communities where the average salary is | | | | They deserve at least that much.Diane M. |
| $25,000. Non-union miners can look forward to | | | | Grassi is a freelance columnist, reporting |
| earning twice that amount.However, the recent | | | | and writing commentary on current events of |
| history of the Sago Mine as well as others | | | | the day providing honest and often |
| its size is not unlike that which has become | | | | politically incorrect assessments. From U.S. |
| of other major industries in the 21st | | | | public policy to Major League Baseball, she |
| century, with individual companies and its | | | | is an eclectic thinker, and demanding of her |
| workers left victim to bankruptcy or | | | | readers to reflect on their own thinking |
| corporate takeover. The Sago Mine, which had | | | | patterns from an alternative perspective. |
| 145 employees prior to January 2nd, was | | | | Whether you agree with her or not, Diane M. |
| operated by Anker West Virginia Mining Co. | | | | Grassi will have you coming back to note her |
| until November 2005. The International Coal | | | | opinions, and if at best she wakes you up, |
| Group Inc. (ICG), purchased it in April 2005, | | | | then her goal will have been accomplished. |
| and completed its purchase in November 2005 | | | | |
| at which point it took over Sago's | | | | Ms. Grassi is featured with the online |
| operation.Famed New York investment financier | | | | publications: New Media Journal.us; American |
| and billionaire, Wilbur Ross, formed ICG in | | | | Chronicle; Mich News.com; the Federal |
| May 2004, now listed on the NY Stock | | | | Observer; Opinions Editorials; the |
| Exchange, buying up coalmines belonging to | | | | Conservative Voice; the Las Vegas Penny |
| Horizon Natural Resources. One of those | | | | Press; the Sierra Times as well as many |
| holdings was the Sago Mine. Ross' purchase of | | | | others. She also writes regular columns on |
| Sago followed his fray into the steel | | | | Major League Baseball where she is a featured |
| industry, founding the International Steel | | | | online columnist with The Diamond Angle |
| Group Inc. and buying Bethlehem Steel Corp., | | | | Baseball Ezine and Sports-Central.org. Ms. |