Massey execs called killers

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Massey execs called killers

By Chris Togneri
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, May 19, 2010

RICHMOND, Va. -- Chanting protesters surrounded the historic Jefferson Hotel on Tuesday morning, demanding the criminal prosecution of Massey Energy Co. board members and CEO Don Blankenship.

Six weeks after an explosion inside the Massey-owned Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, W.Va., killed 29 men and injured two -- making it the deadliest U.S. mine disaster in 40 years -- company shareholders met for their annual meeting in a ballroom inside the hotel.

Outside, protesters wore orange prison jumpsuits with Blankenship's name printed on the back. Others held signs accusing Massey of manslaughter.

"Fines are not enough," said Kevin Zeese, executive director for the Campaign for Fresh Air & Clean Politics in Maryland. "We need to prosecute the leaders of this company. Blankenship is the main target. He's got to be stopped from killing again."

Read more: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_681727.html

I hope that someone can bring charges against him and his company, cause that is the only thing that will get his attention.

And he should be locked up forever. 29 counts of first degree murder. Maximum security prison like any other murderer.

From AFL-CIO Now Blog:

This week’s disaster at Massey Energy Co.’s Upper Big Branch Mine that killed 25 miners, with four still unaccounted for, means 45 coal miners have died at Massey operations since 2000.

Mine Workers President (UMWA) Cecil Roberts says the “grim statistics that are associated with Massey and the mines under its control,” cannot be ignored.

Every year, like clockwork, at least one person has been killed since 2000 on the property of Massey or one of its subsidiaries….No other coal operator even comes close to that fatality rate during that time frame. That demands a serious and immediate investigation by MSHA and by Congress.

<Snip>
In a post on Daily Kos, the National Nurses United (NNU), writing under the byline National Nurse Movement, points out there is a “major part of the story that is missing from most of the media coverage.”

An examination of a series of mine disasters in recent years would find a common thread—accidents happen far more often in non-union mines.

Read rest of article. http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/04/08/45-deaths-show-masseys-safety-problems-not-confined-to-upper-big-branch/

This is a big part of the problem also. This is from SourceWatch:

In 2008, the company had 6,743 employees.<2> Of these, only 1.3% -- or approximately 87 -- were represented by the United Mine Workers of America.
From SourceWatch:

soon I hope, very soon!!!

:kick:

these ceo's of corporations start getting arrested when people get hurt or killed nothing will change.

A corporation that violates safety and people get hurt or killed while working for that corporation, then the head of that corporation or company should be arrested at the very least for manslaughter. If these people want to be in charge and reap the rewards then they also have to reap the responsibility.

they are actually being incented to be negligent.....kill a few people....get a few million dollars.......run the company into bankruptcy in the process......get tens of millions of dollars.......and a pony!

That's one of the reasons why the majority of Americans are angry right there.

I don't know what will.

http://myweb.wvnet.edu/~jelkins/adcrimlaw/depraved_heart_murder.html

:kick:

But they will not be punished because the US "justice system" is controlled by the super-rich.