MSHA Refuses Crandall Canyon Families’ Request for Mine Workers Representation During Investigation

[Omaha Steve]

by Mike Hall, Aug 28, 2007

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) refused a request from Crandall Canyon miners and their families that the Mine Workers (UMWA) represent them in the upcoming federal investigation into the Aug. 6 collapse that trapped and presumably killed six coal miners and the ensuing underground rescue attempt that cost the lives of three of the rescuers.

Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts says MSHA’s action is a ”travesty” and is ”outrageous.”

This action means that there will be no independent voice at the table in MSHA’s investigation, questioning the actions of both the company and the federal government in this disaster….These families should have the right to be full participants in this investigation, and they should be able to designate whoever they want to be their representatives.

The Murray Energy mine near Huntington, Utah, is a nonunion mine, but miners and their families are taking the same path that miners and their families at West Virginia’s Sago Mine did in 2006 when they sought UMWA’s help in investigating the explosion that killed 12 miners.

Federal regulations permit the UMWA to represent the miners at any mine, including nonunion mines, if two or more of them designate the union to represent them on safety issues.

Earlier, Bob Butero, a UMWA district representative, told the Salt Lake Tribune that Crandall Canyon miners sought the union’s help because they believed both the company and federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) officials were not keeping them informed or listening to their concerns.

They felt in this process there wasn’t a representative of the miners…they felt left out.

FULL story at link.