Archive for August, 2007
Utah Miners May Be Trapped Forever
The six coal miners trapped more than 1,500 feet underground at the Crandall Canyon Mine following its Aug. 6 collapse may be buried under the Utah mountain forever, a mining company official said yesterday.
Underground rescue attempts were halted after three rescue workers—including a federal mine safety inspector—were killed last week trying to remove debris from the mine tunnel in an attempt to reach the six. Officials say the safety conditions underground would jeopardize the lives of rescue and recovery workers if the operation continued. Holes drilled from above ground have failed to find any signs of life in the areas where the trapped miners may be.
Two Firefighters Killed in Fire Near Ground Zero
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| Robert Beddia |
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| Joseph Graffagnino |
Firefighters unselfishly risk their lives every day to protect each of us. Unfortunately, sometimes they pay the ultimate price. On Saturday, two New York City firefighters—Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino—were killed while battling a blaze at a building just south of New York’s Ground Zero.
Both men became trapped while working the seven-alarm fire in the Deutsche Bank building. Both were taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest and later were pronounced dead.
Beddia, 53, a 23-year veteran, and Graffagnino, 33, an eight-year veteran, worked at Ladder Company 5 and were members of the Uniformed Firefighters Association Local 94.
Fire Fighters (IAFF) President Harold Schaitberger extended sympathies to the families of the two men and to the members of Local 94. “We stand with you in this time of mourning,” Schaitberger said.
Ladder Company 5 also lost 11 firefighters in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center. Both Beddia and Graffagnino responded to the World Trade Center that day.
Graffagnino and Beddia are the 1,136th and 1,137th members of the New York City Fire Department to die in the department’s 143-year history, according to the IAFF.
Anything Doesn’t Go: Southwest’s Actions Not Delightful, But Demeaning to Flight Attendants
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We don’t know if Cole Porter was ever a union activist, but flight attendants at Southwest Airlines are banking on the legendary songwriter’s incredible ear for melody and eye for lyrics to help them publicize and fight a move by the airline’s management to add “fake flight attendants” to cabin crews.
Inspired by the music and lyrics of Porter’s classic “It’s De-Lovely,” members of Transport Workers (TWU) Local 556 have posted the video “It’s Not D-LUVly” on their website.
Pennsylvania Unions Turn Out to Help Children
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There’s no question that unions are good for the community, and that’s most obvious when the AFL-CIO’s Community Services Network is on the job, providing services and helping out those in need. An article in a recent edition of the Pittsburgh Catholic showed exactly what the program is all about.
The article begins:
“The smiles on the faces of the children said it all.
“Unions from throughout the state reached out to make the children’s day a little bit brighter by co-sponsoring Auberle’s 21st annual ‘A Festival of Fun’ July 26 on the Auberle campus in McKeesport.”
Get Ready for Labor Day at The Union Shop™
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It’s the holiday season again. Our favorite holiday, Labor Day, is just around the corner. It’s a time for picnics and ceremonies to celebrate America’s everyday heroes—the working people who make this nation great.
This year, celebrate working America in union-made style and send a message that workers matter with the latest union gear and gifts from The Union Shop Online™.
With a huge election for working people coming up next year, show everyone you’re a voter with attitude with a “Kicking Ass for the Working Class” or “Labor 2008″ T-shirt. Show your patriotism with a union-made in the USA American flag.
Texas Teachers Union Leader Arrested—for Talking to Teachers
Want to know why the battle for the Employee Free Choice Act is still going strong? Because of what happens to workers like Carmen Mayorga.
On Aug. 14, Mayorga, president of AFT Local 6345 in Aldine, Texas, was arrested and led away in handcuffs after she tried to hand out union literature to teachers on school property, according to AFT. Mayorga was charged with “failure to identify.” Her car was impounded, and she was held 14 hours before being released, the union says.
Rescuer Deaths Compound Tragedy at Utah Mine; Search for Trapped Men Halted
The deaths last night of three rescue workers, including a federal mine safety inspector, at the Crandall Canyon coal mine near Huntington, Utah, “compounded what was already an immense tragedy,” says Mine Workers (UMWA) President Cecil Roberts.
The three dead, along with six injured workers, were part of a team of miners and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) employees who were trying to clear a rubble-choked tunnel to reach six miners trapped 12 days ago by a collapse. This afternoon, MSHA suspended the underground search for the six because of safety concerns for the rescue workers. Officials did not say when rescue efforts would resume.
The 100-Year Struggle for Mine Safety
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A few thoughts as we join in vigil with the families of the six men trapped in Utah’s Crandall Canyon mine, now 12 days since the mine collapsed, and with the families of the three who died last night during the rescue attempt.
Last year, Congress passed the first major mine safety laws in more three decades. Mine safety advocates hailed the MINER Act as a good first step in improving mine safety and responding to emergencies.
But “the job is not done,” Dennis O’Dell, Mine Workers (UMWA) health and safety director, told a House panel in late July, just days before the Crandall Canyon mine collapse. O’Dell and other witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections that two recently introduced bills (H.R. 2768 and H.R. 2769) address many of the most pressing needs in mine safety and health.
Michigan Comcast Workers Win New Deal Without Givebacks
It only took four bargaining sessions for workers in Port Huron, Mich., to reach a tentative agreement with cable TV giant Comcast. The agreement, which was ratified earlier this week, includes pay increases and no givebacks for workers.
The key to the quick settlement was the solidarity and determination of the 16 workers to get a fair deal, says Janet Rich, president of Communications Workers of America Local 4107.
I hope this contract sends a message to other Comcast unions. For seven years, Comcast has tried to break our union, but solidarity works.
