Our hats are off to all USW miners on National Miners Day! December 6th has been designated National Miners Day by the U.S. Congress, but we take this day to honor all of the 30,000 men and women who work in USW-represented mines in both the United States and Canada. This is a celebration of the work they do to supply us with essential minerals like iron ore, copper, gold, silver, platinum, salt, granite, limestone, sand, gravel and coal. Without those commodities, most of our industries would cease to exist.
We also take this day to remember our brothers and sisters killed in mining accidents – 91 at the 1972 Sunshine silver mine fire in Idaho; 26 in the 1992 Westray coal mine explosion in Nova Scotia; hundreds of others over the years.
Our USW Health, Safety and Environment Departments in the U.S and Canada are working alongside our elected officers and directors to end these tragedies, but the most important work is being done by our hundreds of miners’ representatives and safety committee members throughout the mining industry. We salute their efforts. Our thanks also to the dedicated mine inspectors and officials at the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration and in the responsible Canadian provincial and federal agencies.
If your local union or mine has a Miners Day event planned, please let us know. We would like to post your event on the USW website. In the U.S., we’ll share it with MSHA as well. MSHA’s website – www.msha.gov – has Miners Day posters, and lots of safety information, much of it useful in both our countries.
