United Mine Workers Pres. Cecil Roberts: Massey Energy CEO Blankenship Should Be Held Accountable

[Turborama]

Run time: 04:33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHJ2aIwuAXo   Posted on YouTube: April 08, 2010 By YouTube Member: firedoglake Views on YouTube: 759   Posted on DU: April 12, 2010 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 596

 
President of United Mine Workers: “Don Blankenship should be held responsible.”

By: chuckiecorra Saturday April 10, 2010

From DC: Cecil Roberts (President, UMWA) says there have been 3 organizing attempts at Big Branch mine, 65% – 70% of workers signed union cards, Blankenship personally threatened the workers that if they voted for the union, he would close the mine down and they would lose their jobs. This is one of the biggest steps forward in prosecuting Don Blankenship for his negligence.

Cecil Roberts was on the Ed Show a couple of nights ago (this was before the grim news came out that none of the remaining 4 miners survived).

Roberts claims that employees of these mines should be allowed to refuse work in terrible conditions like these. He even said that one of the miners wasn’t even aware of the numerous safety violations incurred by the Upper Big Branch Mine.

This type of cruel injustice needs to be stopped. People like this need the protection of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Men like Don Blankenship cannot be allowed to continue with the destruction they are causing.

Prayers for the miners and their families, and for justice.

From: http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/40081

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Full transcript: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36317662/ns/msnbc_tv-the_ed_show/

[Petrushka]

1. K & R

:thumbsup:

[sabrina 1]

2. Has anyone seen this cowardly

phony patriot, friend of that other phony patriot Sean Hannity since those last four miners were found dead? He's been good at spouting off about the 'evils of the left' up to now, what does he have to say about the 29 people whose deaths he is responsible for?

I hope someone stops him now, before there are more tragedies, and his boss, Massey. The media will soon drop this story, as they did after the last tragedy three years ago and these ghouls went right back to business as usual.

One thing Congress can do NOW and someone needs to get a bill to the floor immediately. Those loopholes in the new regulations after the 2006 tragedy that Blankenship and Massey were able to use, need to be closed instantly.

They keep telling us how they care so much about the safety of the American people when it comes to terrorism.

THIS is terrorism, right here and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. If Congress doesn't act now, I can only believe that the forces of evil in this country are so strong, there really is no hope ....

[Sherman A1]

3. Precisely

I however do not expect any action.

[theHandpuppet]

4. I don't expect any real action, either

Blankenship has greased too many palms and placed too many of his cohorts in positions of power.

[Turborama]

6. Watchdog Groups Call for Criminal Charges Against Don Blankenship (Massey CEO) For Homicide

Looks like the pressure's building, hopefully the Feds are on it...


Watchdog Groups Call for Criminal Charges Against U.S. Chamber of Commerce Director Don Blankenship for Homicide


29 Dead In West Virginia Mine Because Of Chamber Policies

Congress Members Must Order Halt To Contact With Chamber Lobbyists

WASHINGTON, April 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- StopTheChamber.com, a coalition of NGOs dedicated to corporate and government accountability, has been warning for months about the devastating effect of U.S. Chamber of Commerce policies on the well being of Americans. Specifically, the Chamber has spent hundreds of millions to fight any regulation of its dues paying members and any regulation of pollution caused by those members. These actions have been led by Chamber CEO Tom Donohue and Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, the latter who runs vast coal mining operations in West Virginia, including the serial offending Upper Big Branch mine where 29 miners were killed last week.

"The convergence of the Chamber's policies against regulation of workplace safety and the disaster of mining coal without regard for the environmental impact resulted in the death of 29 hard working West Virginian miners," said attorney and StopTheChamber.com spokesman Kevin Zeese. "This was not an accident, but rather the result of deliberate and intentional decisions and actions of Don Blankenship, a director of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Blankenship and Chamber CEO Tom Donohue must be held accountable for these deaths. What is it going to take for Congress and the President to stop coddling criminals, masquerading as legitimate businessmen, who cause the death of our loved ones? Blankenship, with the lobbying army of the Chamber to back him up, has thumbed his nose at the Mine Safety and Health Administration, ignoring or appealing every violation, including the scores that resulted in coal mine evacuations and the hundreds of other serious violations. As the Washington Post pointed out in a Saturday editorial, these 29 deaths would not have occurred absent this intentional conduct of Blankenship. He is just as criminally culpable as any mass murderer."

StopTheChamber.com calls for the immediate arrest of Don Blankenship for homicide, and a complete criminal investigation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its CEO Tom Donohue to determine what policies and practices led to the death of these miners, whether Chamber lobbyists and lawyers were used to cover-up or avoid compliance with safety regulations, whether Massey Energy, the Chamber and others conspired to create the conditions that caused the deaths, and whether the Chamber is being used to pressure those in various political branches to stop a criminal investigation. Criminal prosecution of the perpetrators of this terrible crime will ensure accountability, expose the Chamber's criminal conduct and pave the way for real worker safety across the nation.

From kpete's OP in GD: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8135284

[sabrina 1]

7. Good, I hope more people join in the chorus.

He forbade the miners from doing anything that would have made the mine safer. It wasn't just ignored, it was deliberate.

[pnorman]

5. K & R, me too!

n/t