Senate to Vote on Mine Safety Nominee Who Says Laws Are Fine

[Omaha Steve]

Legislation & Politics, Bush & Co.

Jun 12

E-Mail This Article
Senate to Vote on Mine Safety Nominee Who Says U.S. Mine Safety Laws Are Fine

The former coal industry executive who told the U.S. Senate the nation’s mining laws are adequate—just weeks after a series of disasters killed 15 miners—faces a critical vote Tuesday in the Senate, as the Bush administration attempts to make him the top coal mine safety cop.

While Richard Stickler’s nomination to head the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has been on hold by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) who opposes the nomination, 2006 coal mine deaths have climbed to 33—more than in any full year since 2001. If Senate Republican leaders win a cloture vote to end the hold, they’ll move to a confirmation vote on Stickler. Cloture requires 60 votes, but confirmation needs only a simple majority.

The Mine Workers (UMWA), the AFL-CIO and other workplace safety advocates oppose Stickler’s nomination.

UMWA President Cecil Roberts says:

Mr. Stickler spent the overwhelming part of his career as a coal mine executive….The nation’s miners cannot tolerate another mine executive running the agency responsible for protecting their health and safety. Too often these mining executives place priority on productivity, but fail to focus on miners’ health and safety. Too many times, MSHA has not done all it is charged to do to promote miners’ health and safety.…Miners need someone leading MSHA who makes their heath and safety their number one priority.

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Stickler declined to endorse new mine safety rules, such as those passed by the West Virginia Legislature in January in response to the Sago explosion that killed 12 miners and other mine deaths.


Full story: http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/06/12/senate-to-vote-on-mine-safety-nominee-who-says-us-mine-safety-laws-are-fine/


How many miners have died this year already?