Department Of Labor SUES TO CLOSE A Massey Energy Mine

[Segami]

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:


" 29 miners died in the Upper Big Branch mine explosion. The mine had scores of safety violations prior to the accident, but it kept on going anyway. This is the way it is in the modern energy business. They give lip service to the idea of safety while all the while gaming the system, pushing the boundaries, knowing that if there is a disaster and people die, well there will be more to take their jobs. In places like Louisiana or Kentucky and West Virginia, where else are they going to go for a well paying job?


This has been the cynical bargain that the Bush Administration regulatory environment established. As long as not too many people died and the coal and oil kept flowing the Federal Government would turn a blind eye. That seems to be changing under the Obama administration.


Yesterday the Department of Labor asked a judge to shut down another of Massey Energy's mines, the Freedom Mine No 1. This is an older mine but it has a huge history of trouble. In the this last year there have been more than 700 safety violations, of which 50 have been what they call "unwarrantable failures" which means that the mine should not be operated at all until they are corrected. That is 50 this calendar year.


The Mine Health and Safety Administration (MSHA) has the power to ask judge to shut down a mine for safety reasons. They have had that power since 1979 but this is the very first time it has ever been used.


cont'

<http://squarestate.net/diary/1000/department-of-labor-sues-to-close-a-massey-energy-mine>

[gkhouston]

1. Hey, McConnell and Paul! Fuck you!! n/t

[Dappleganger]

2. [phone]

[gkhouston]

3. I wonder how long this has been in the works. It would be sweet if it were a little

Valentine from the Administration. Not that Massey doesn't deserve it on their own (cough) merits.

[gratuitous]

4. What this will turn into

And I practically guarantee it: The Obama administration will be portrayed as anti-worker for trying to shut down this miner deathtrap. Because the name of the mine is "Freedom Mine no. 1," they will be painted as being against freedom. While MSHA has had the power since 1979 to shut down deathtraps, actually using that power will be depicted as gummint interference in the rights of free enterprise to make a buck, and how would you like it if the government, for no good reason! decided to shut down your place of business? Huh? You wouldn't like it at all! Unless you're a goddam commie or something.

[Scurrilous]

5. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Canuckistanian]

6. K&R

Now if they only had the power to shut down Blankenship totally.