That sonofabitch who runs the Massey mine should be in jail

[Bluzmann57]

His name is Blankenship, I believe. This mine has been cited many times and fined thousands of dollars for safety violations. So the next step should be filing charges of murder against Blankenship because of his willful negligence. And that is something the feds can do. I work in an MSHA governed facility, although we are on the surface, so I know a bit about these things. Btw, if anyone is offended by my language in the subject line, I don't care. This is something I feel strongly about.

[madokie]

1. I agree wholeheartedly

+1 :hi:

[Captain Hilts]

2. I understand your anger. Sago, now these guys. nt

[spinbaby]

3. The safety violations are just the tip of the iceberg

This guy has a history that makes Bob Murray (of the Utah mine disaster) look downright lovable:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/blake-fleetwood/the-best-judge-3-million_b_214639.html

Also, check out this video:

http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2008/04/12/fossil-fool-don-blankenship-assaults-abc-reporter/

[Bluzmann57]

6. Thanks for that link

You're right, that guy Blankenship is a real piece of work. I hope MSHA uses the power that they do have and prosecute this guy to the fullest extent of the law. Of course if they go after him in West Virginia state courts, he may own the judges already so he may be in the clear. So I say file federal charges against him. Let him sit in a jail cell and think about what he has done.

[spinbaby]

8. MSHA was largely neutered during the Bush years

Those coal barons are big GOP contributors. I don't know that the Obama administration has gotten around to cleaning up this situation yet.

[theHandpuppet]

10. Here's another link

http://www.grist.org/article/don-blankenship-seventh-scariest-person-in-america/

[Bitwit1234]

25. Remember when something like this happened out west

when bush was in office. And we found out that the bush administration had loosened the restrictions on mine safety. That the mine owners could do just about anything and get away with it. Why weren't the inspections tightened when Obama took office and more inspectors added. If this company has so many violations they should have been shut down til they were fixed.

[spinbaby]

28. I suspect this administration has had its hands full

Everything can't be fixed instantly.

The mine accident out west was at the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah. That one was a collapse, not an explosion.

[harkadog]

35. So 26 people had to die because "everything can't be fixed intstantly"

What a cop out.

[Lint Head]

4. I'm with you brother. If a corporation is deemed a person by the

United States Supreme Cowards then they should be prosecuted just like a any other person.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. He OWNS the local GOP.

[atreides1]

13. He owns more then that

Reports say that he was the main backer for judges on the State Supreme Court, which overturned a decision against his company.

[doc03]

21. He pretty much owns Joe Manchin too doesn't he n/t

[KharmaTrain]

7. Time For A General Strike...

Kinda disheartening in this time when workers are being beaten down like nothing I've seen in my life, there are few labor actions to fight back. Here's yet another crime perpetrated against miners in the name of greed and "cost effectiveness". We'll get a couple days of hand-wringing teevee coverage and then it's off to the next shiny toy...meanwhile conditions aren't improved and the coal companies pay their way out of any litigation or criminal culpability. It's business as usual. How much longer will workers take being shat upon and told to eat it with a smile...

[tularetom]

9. These folks have been beat into submission for a hundred years

And at least some of them have rationalized their acceptance of the situation by claiming that they love working in unhealthy unsafe conditions. I don't think they would be willing to risk their jobs by joining or starting a union and especially not by striking. Their pay is not great but it is adequate, and it beats the hell out of anything else they could find in this economy in such a depressed area.

They have no support from their state government, which appears to be firmly lodged in the pocket of the mine owners.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to strike.

[KharmaTrain]

11. Where's John L. Lewis When You Need Him...

Call it a labor "Stockholm Syndrome"...the employees have "justified" their poor treatment as being "best for the company". I fully understand that for most of these people the loss of one paycheck could spell hardships added to their existing hardships. It's also a sad state of the union movement where we've witnessed 30 years of give backs and trying to keep harmony while the rank and file were required to do more with less redress. I saw unions where they gladly shaved their membership to protect the few while letting other (usually those less vested) to fend for themselves.

A century ago workers didn't have the support of the politicans, either, but organized and stood strong that forced them to provide better working conditions and pay. We're back to where we were...and don't expect the corporates and their political lackeys to support real change until they feel some pain themselves...in their pocketbooks.

Cheers...

[theHandpuppet]

12. For those who aren't familiar with the history of mining in Appalachia

And how our own government turned the guns of American troops on unionizing miners, I'd suggest googling "The Battle of Blair Mountain" or "The Redneck War of 1921".

[doc03]

14. Check out the movie Matewan, it tells the story

The Battle of Blair Mountain.

[doc03]

17. My employer Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel took on Blankenshit

and won. Massey Energy had a coal contract with us and while claiming they had production problems in the mine they were selling our coal on the market for more than double our contract price. That costs us millions because we were forced to buy coal at the higher market prices (probably our own coal) if we could get it. It also caused millions of dollars of damage to our coke ovens because we were forced to use substandard coal to keep it operating at times and nearly bankrupted the company. We took him on and got $267 million out of the SOB back in December of 2008.
http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/trial-procedure-jury-trial/11918786-1.html

[Dr.Phool]

19. About 2 years ago I went to West Virginia.

We went back to my mothers childhood home to scatter her ashes. The area (Logan County) is still as poor and run down, as I remembered it as a kid. Dirt poor. The only jobs are in the mines.

The economy was in the process of crashing, layoffs were mounting. Everyone, everywhere else was scared for their jobs.

Massey was holding a job fair at the hotel we spent the night in.

[KharmaTrain]

23. The Most Vunerable Pay The Biggest Price...

My condolensces on your loss, but glad you honored her wishes...I could imagine it being quite a revealing experience. That region has truly been the hardscrabble land...literally living and dying by the fates of the coal companies and the massive economic and political power that they've amassed over the years. It's one of the few remaining "one horse" town type of industries where so many are reliant on a handful of corporates. Seens these people have been so beaten down they accept things as status quo...and fearful of losing that. A shame.

Thank you for sharing...

[doc03]

22. I think most or all of Massey's mines are non-union n/t

[KharmaTrain]

24. More The Reason to Kick The Unions In Action...

I'd gladly donate to a fund to assist miners or other strikers pay their bills...I'd donate to that before I'd throw a dime at any politician. I'm sure there are others who would do the same...create a strike fund for those who aren't unionized and shut down the non-union mines while rewarding those what do have unions. Allowing this exploitation to continue encourages more non-union mines and degrading conditions.

[tech9413]

15. You should spell it right, it's Don Blankenshit n/t

[Dr.Phool]

16. I'd edit the subject line.

Surely, you can think of something much nastier to call him.

About 40 years ago, I had an uncle who was very nearly crushed to death in a Logan County mine. He was one of just a couple of guys who survived. It broke and crushed damn near every bone in his body.

On edit. He deserves this.

[Botany]

18. He brought in Sean Hannity & Ted Nugent last fall for an anti environment &

mine safety rally in West VA.





http://ak2.static.dailymotion.com/static/video/901/115/17511109:jpeg_preview_large.jpg

[doc03]

20. Now there are three real good Amurikans n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

30. That post deserves it's own thread. Please consider posting. This is very important.

Unless we agitate for it, it won't be spoken of.

[mountainvue]

34. He's a fat f*ck. Surprise, surprise.

[Zoeisright]

26. I think he should be forced to work in his own mine.

By himself. With no safety equipment.

[Born_A_Truman]

38. Undercover Boss him ...

[Hawkeye-X]

27. I know that it was barely two years ago when Massey fucked up as well

The entire corporation should be stripped butt nekkid and used to improve mine health and safety - 100% unionized as a complete punishment to Massey and Massey no longer has a say on how to control their profits - since they forfeited it when the corporation willfully murdered 9 miners. Yes, the Supreme Court declared corporation as people, and so therefore, West Virginia as well as the Department of Justice has every right to place every management and board of directors under arrest for second degree murder (depraved indifference) and stripped from all assets.

Hawkeye-X

[Maru Kitteh]

29. That would be willfully murdered 25 miners now :-(

[Odin2005]

31. Corporatists only care about the Bottom Line, they are sociopaths.

[upi402]

32. Many should, Obama ignores investigating many many crimes

He is a Clinton-Republican and there's no opposition party.

[Scurrilous]

33. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Bolo Boffin]

36. Yes, agreed. And the thread showing his million dollar support of the Tea Party is

more evidence of his utter uselessness to humanity.

[tabasco]

37. Fuckinay right.

He is vile scum, corrupt to the core.

[BrklynLiberal]

39. Absolutely. Considering how many citations the mine has gotten, why the hell was it still operating?