Joseph Main, Obama's Mine Safety Chief, Praised By Advocates

McClatchy:

President Barack Obama's choice to head the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration signals a dramatic shift from his predecessor on mine safety issues.

The selection of Joseph Main, the retired longtime safety and health administrator for the United Mine Workers of America to head MSHA, drew praise from safety advocates and criticism from the coal industry.

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[WindySailor]

Paraphrasing the spokesman for the coal operators:

"It's going to be frustrating having somebody with an agenda that includes mine safety," said Bill Caylor, the president of the Kentucky Coal Association. "We're not looking forward to it."

[JimLarkin]

" i will not rest until those miners are rescued....whats for lunch?" baghdad bob murray

[noaxe397]

Never underestimate the importance of mine safety to the general public. Here in AZ there are thousands of open mine shafts left abandoned from the territorial era when everyone was looking for the pot of gold.
At least once a year there would be a news report of some poor ATVer or cyclist or camper/hiker getting swallowed up by one of these mile deep open holes. Very tragic.

Only 9 states have a mine inspector and AZ is the only state in the union that elects its mine inspector in a statewide vote. Despite its status as a state wide office, few are interested in running for it and typically a candidate runs unoppossed.

Unfortunately, the office is constantly underfunded by the Republican legislature and the problem of dangerous and unseen open mine shafts remains a lurking problem .

[rich3324]

So how long before the GOP calls him a racist?

[billw8017]

When a previous Democratic administration closed down a mining operation from safety concerns, miners all across the country went out on a sympathy strike. This brings to mind, Adam Smith's observation that when workers demonstrate, they do so in the interests of their employers. Of course, Smith was writing in1776 while there were still powerful vestiges of the feudal era with its deep personal loyalties. Apparently, we feel some of that even today; people will do things as their job that they wouldn't do for money alone.

Still, I can't believe miners truly value their lives so little, but they may appreciate that what is done for better safety may serve their broader interests. The mine owners have on occasion treated their people with careless disdain.

[zanzig]

Joseph Main has apparently been the union's mine safety expert for a number of years before his retirement. No wonder the coal industry sounds a bit terse:

"It's going to be frustrating having somebody with an agenda that is pro-union," said Bill Caylor, the president of the Kentucky Coal Association. "We're not looking forward to it."

Good.

[Tyler-Durden]

CO-SIGN!

[fabricnthreads]

Frustrate away, Joe. Please. We are tired of losing our miners.

[kareemachan]

Yeah, it sounds like he's more pro-safety than pro-union. But maybe the two are really the same thing...and if so, why would the industry be against it. I wonder...

[Grunty1]

Imagine that, a Mine Safety Chief that puts MINE SAFETY before profits....

[Sumocat]

"The selection of Joseph Main [...] drew praise from safety advocates and criticism from the coal industry." -- If the coal industry doesn't like him, I'll assume it's because Main will actually look at safety records and preparedness. In that case, I approve.

[nivek]

Good things happen when you kick the fox out of the hen house.

[OatmealEater]

Good things also happen when you find "fox" reporters coming out of the cat house.