UMWA supports House mine health and safety bill as approved by Education and Labor Committee

(Triangle, Va.) -- United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

            “The UMWA is pleased that the House Education and Labor Committee passed this legislation yesterday. We believe that any steps forward in improving worker safety are positive steps. We believe there is more that can be done to make all mines safer, but this legislation is still a very big step forward, and we support it.

            “It is disappointing to see many of those who oppose this important legislation perversely using the jobs issue as a reason to oppose it. When workers are getting blown up, suffocated, burned, maimed and disabled for life, our government has a responsibility to take swift action.

“Americans want and need jobs. But not jobs at any cost. The opponents of this legislation who say it will cost jobs are essentially telling American workers to ‘work at your own risk, because we’re going to let the companies do whatever they want to you.’ That’s wrong, and demonstrates yet again the huge disconnect between the the political allies of corporate America in Washington and ordinary working people.”

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