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