Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster.
This is the first of two parts commemorating that moment in labor history.
The year was 2010.
A massive explosion ripped through Massey Energy’s mine in Raleigh County, West Virginia.
The explosion killed 29 miners.
It was the deadliest in decades.
The explosion at UBB revealed the ruthlessness of profit-driven mine executives
Raking in $104 million in profits the year before, they callously insisted the explosion had been an act of God.
The explosion also exposed the immense pressures on federal and state regulators to look the other way or go easy on enforcement.
And it demonstrated just how deep the ties go between industry, regulators and those in seats of political power.
The UBB mine explosion served as a testament to the increasingly unsafe and non-union nature of the industry.
35 years ago, 95% of the state’s mines were union.
Walkouts over health and safety were common.
Now, less than 25% are, and workers risk their livelihoods if they dare to speak up about safety.
As well, over 70% of those autopsied from UBB were found to have black lung disease, entirely preventable with proper ventilation.
Massey executives routinely violated safety rules as a cost of doing business.
American University’s detailed study of Massey’s safety record for the years 2000-2010 concluded that no other U.S. coal company had a worse fatality record.
A total of 54 workers, including those at UBB had been killed during that time period.
They also found that Massey had been cited for 62,923 violations including 25,612 considered ‘significant and substantial.’
At the time, MSHA had proposed close to $50 million in fines.
March 26 - Police Attack UE Amid ‘46 Strike Wave
March 25 - Centralia Coal Mine #5 Explodes
March 24 - Exxon Valdez Runs Aground
March 23 - Texas City Refinery Explosion Kills 15
March 22 - ERA Passes the Senate
March 21 - Truman Signs Loyalty Order
March 20 - Another Deadly Explosion
March 19 - Wartime President Pushes for Labor Peace
March 18 - Wartime Workers Betrayed
March 17 - The Hoggs Hollow Tragedy
March 16 - Big Bill Haywood Talks General Strike
March 15 - The Grapes of Wrath Opens in Theaters
March 14 - Remembering Walter Crane
March 13 - Ending Jim Crow on the Job
March 12 - OSHA Safety Incentives
March 11 - Raising Conditions for an Industry
March 10 - Radium Girls
March 9 - Striking the Mines
March 8 - IBEW Strikes to Win
March 7 - Work Faster! Work Faster!
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