Byrd Spent Career ‘Unabashedly’ on Working Families’ Side

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/06/28/byrd-spent-career-unabashedly-on-working-families-side/

by Mike Hall, Jun 28, 2010

Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.), 92, who died this morning after serving more than 58 years in Congress, “was unabashedly and unapologetically on the side of working families,” says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.


Sen. Byrd plays a few tunes at the Huntington (W.Va.) Publishing Co. in 1977. L-R Dave Holbrook, Huntington Advertiser staffers Charlie Bowen and Dave Peyton, Byrd.


“As Majority Leader, he helped lead the fight against the Republican filibuster of labor law reform in the 1970s. He tirelessly fought for health and safety laws that protected workers, opposed job- killing trade deals and when it came to standing up to the coal companies, a miner never had a stronger ally.”

Byrd was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1952 and won the first of his nine Senate terms in 1958.

Mine Workers (UMWA) President Cecil Roberts says Byrd’s strong championing of the 1969 Coal Mine Safety and Health Act that created the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) convinced President Nixon not to veto the bill.

In the 40 years prior to its passage, 32,000 miners lost their lives on the job. In the 40 years since, that number stands at slightly more than 3,200. One could argue that thanks to Sen. Byrd’s efforts, 29,000 lives were saved.

Byrd also was a leading voice on the fight against black lung and worked closely with Trumka when he was UMWA president. Says Trumka:

I will always cherish the memories of the long hours we spent together working to protect benefits for victims of black lung and passing landmark legislation guaranteeing the health benefits for retired coal miners, like so many in my own family.

FULL story at link.

[Staph]

1. Thanks for posting this.

I had not seen Trumka's statement yet.



And thank you for all of the news of labor in America.

[sabrina 1]

2. Very nice tribute ~ thank you for posting it.