Coal miners and their families, union and political leaders gathered in the old federal courthouse in Charleston on Thursday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the opening of federal black lung offices in Charleston and Parkersburg.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal miners and their families, union and political leaders gathered in the old federal courthouse in Charleston on Thursday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the opening of federal black lung offices in Charleston and Parkersburg.
West Virginia passed the first black lung law in the country back in 1969. The offices were created in 1978 as a result of amendments in 1977 to that law.
Thursday, Aug. 21 - U.S. Department of Labor official James L. DeMarce recognizes Dr. Donald L. Rasmussen at the 30th anniversary of West Virginia's federal black lung benefit centers. Rasmussen and Dr. Hawey A. Wells Jr. (bearded, behind Rasmussen) played key roles in getting black lung laws passed in 1969.
Sparked by a local walkout at a mine near Rhodell in Raleigh County on Feb. 18, 1969, that year's "black lung strike" included more than 40,000 of the state's 43,000 miners when it ended on March 12 - after the Legislature passed and Gov. Arch Moore signed the law.
Drs. Donald L. Rasmussen and Hawey A. Wells, two physicians who cared for thousands of miners suffering from pneumoconiosis, were honored during Thursday's celebration.
Working with the late I.E. Buff, Rasmussen and Wells played a central role in bringing black lung disease to the public's attention in the 1960s, especially in the wake of the explosion at Consolidation Coal No. 9 near Mannington that killed 78 miners on Nov. 20, 1968.
The three doctors - harshly criticized by coal industry leaders and some of their medical colleagues at the time - appeared during marches, rallies and other public events to support coal miners who wanted compensation after coal dust destroyed their ability to breathe and work.
Former Rep. Ken Hechler also was honored for his role in getting Congress to pass the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, after West Virginia miners demonstrated the willingness of miners to strike in support of needed health and safety legislation.
Cecil E. Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, told the crowd on Thursday that his own father worked in the mines for 50 years, beginning when he was 16: "When he died in December, he was collecting black lung benefits."
Roberts believes the historic 1969 state and federal laws "would not have passed if it were not for the Mannington explosion, where 78 miners gave their lives."
He said between 104,000 and 105,000 coal miners in the United States have died from black lung, in addition to more than 100,000 miners killed in work accidents.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Coal miners and their families, union and political leaders gathered in the old federal courthouse in Charleston on Thursday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the opening of federal black lung offices in Charleston and Parkersburg.
West Virginia passed the first black lung law in the country back in 1969. The offices were created in 1978 as a result of amendments in 1977 to that law.
Sparked by a local walkout at a mine near Rhodell in Raleigh County on Feb. 18, 1969, that year's "black lung strike" included more than 40,000 of the state's 43,000 miners when it ended on March 12 - after the Legislature passed and Gov. Arch Moore signed the law.
Drs. Donald L. Rasmussen and Hawey A. Wells, two physicians who cared for thousands of miners suffering from pneumoconiosis, were honored during Thursday's celebration.
Working with the late I.E. Buff, Rasmussen and Wells played a central role in bringing black lung disease to the public's attention in the 1960s, especially in the wake of the explosion at Consolidation Coal No. 9 near Mannington that killed 78 miners on Nov. 20, 1968.
The three doctors - harshly criticized by coal industry leaders and some of their medical colleagues at the time - appeared during marches, rallies and other public events to support coal miners who wanted compensation after coal dust destroyed their ability to breathe and work.
Former Rep. Ken Hechler also was honored for his role in getting Congress to pass the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, after West Virginia miners demonstrated the willingness of miners to strike in support of needed health and safety legislation.
Cecil E. Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, told the crowd on Thursday that his own father worked in the mines for 50 years, beginning when he was 16: "When he died in December, he was collecting black lung benefits."
Roberts believes the historic 1969 state and federal laws "would not have passed if it were not for the Mannington explosion, where 78 miners gave their lives."
He said between 104,000 and 105,000 coal miners in the United States have died from black lung, in addition to more than 100,000 miners killed in work accidents.
Gov. Joe Manchin, who grew up in Marion County near the Farmington mine, said the West Virginia coal industry can play a role to help China make its mines safer today.
The Beijing government reported nearly 6,000 deaths in its mines in 2005, a death rate 100 times higher than the American rate. Some independent publications, like the China Labor Bulletin from Hong Kong, estimate as many as 20,000 coal miners may die in China each year.
Manchin said he believes West Virginia has the "opportunity to become a world leader to make coal miners work in safer conditions" even in places like China.
Wes Holden, a representative for Sen. Jay Rockefeller, said the 1969 health and safety legislation resulted in a sharp decline in black lung disease.
"But that downward trend has stopped," Holden said. "The rates of black lung have doubled in the last 10 years. ... Miners are still developing black lung in their 30s, 40s and 50s, much faster than we thought."
Holden attributed the increase in pneumoconiosis rates to the sharply rising demand for coal production and the opening of smaller mines, especially in the Appalachian coalfields, to fill that demand.
Rockefeller hopes to make it easier for wives of miners who die from black lung to continue collecting federal compensation benefits without refiling claims previously filed by their husbands.
"We all know how hard this disease is on our miners, and how much their families hurt watching them struggle to do sometimes even the most ordinary tasks," Rockefeller said in a news release. "It's a horrible thing, and we have to be there for them."
Keep it clean. Comments that are obscene, sexually explicit, racist or offensive will be removed. If you wouldn�t say it to your mother, don�t post it here.
Be civil. Don�t threaten to hurt anyone. Personal attacks, insults or harassment of any kind are subject to removal.
Be truthful. Don�t lie about a situation or person.
Keep it brief. Keep your comment to one post. Redundant or multiple posts in a row aren�t allowed.
Stay on task. Stick to the topics relevant to the story and discussion.
Let us know about offensive comments. Click the �Report Abuse� button if you think a comment is against the rules.
Report a violation or offensive comment.
[X] Close
Posted By: B. L. Dotson-Lewis(12:25am 08-22-2008)
Report Abuse
I am glad to see Dr. Donald Rasmussen get public recognition for his role, devoting his life in defeating black lung. I don't believe coal miners would have progressed this far, up against the most powerful, money people who have ever hit the face of this earth, without the devotion of those like Dr. Rasmussen who have worked for the miners and their families.
I feel for the miners with black lung and their widows/families left behind after the coal miner is gone. Families suffer emotionally, physically and financially.
If our political leaders want to help at least pass or reenact the bill allowing widows to continue to receive black lung benefits after the miner's death.
We need political action instead of speeches regarding the report that miners at a younger age are getting black lung.
B. L. Dotson-Lewis (West Virgiia Writer)
Appalachia: Spirit Triumphant
Sago Mine Disaster (Featured Story)
The Sunny Side of Appalachia- Bluegrass
Posted By: realist(12:03am 08-22-2008)
Report Abuse
What's more important...helping individual miners who have been harmed in the mines, or doing what's best to keep the coal company profits up? Wheter it's ignoring black lung or blowing the tops off mountains, "King Coal" wins...that's what being a Friend of Coal means
Posted By: hunglung(10:24am 08-22-2008)
Report Abuse
My father received black lung in the early 90s. Elkay coal appealed the Administrative Law Judge decision. They took the black lung away from my dad. He died in 1996. My mother was awarded black lung. It was again taken away by an appeal made by Elkay mining. How can ALJ decisions keep geeting overruled. This battle has been going on for about 22 years. How is the black lung administration helping mininers when it's own ALJs keep getting overruled in appeals. A lot of people have made a lot of money on the backs of miners with black lung. Our senators and congressmen don't do anything to help the miners. The miners today are paying the price for the errors made early on when many people received black lung that should not have gotten it. Now miners who really deserve black lung can't get it because the legal system is geared to defeat them. The only people prospering on black lung are those that are shown in this article's picture. Dead miners have paid for their fancy pant
Posted By: Luckylouie(9:12am 08-22-2008)
Report Abuse
The black lung office is nothig but a charade, making public that they help coal miners, I worked in coal mines for 41 yrs. and have been over 4 years trying to bet black lung benefits. As for Rockefeller "being there for them" what a crock, he has never been there for coal miners, just talk.
Post a comment
I feel for the miners with black lung and their widows/families left behind after the coal miner is gone. Families suffer emotionally, physically and financially.
If our political leaders want to help at least pass or reenact the bill allowing widows to continue to receive black lung benefits after the miner's death.
We need political action instead of speeches regarding the report that miners at a younger age are getting black lung.
B. L. Dotson-Lewis (West Virgiia Writer)
Appalachia: Spirit Triumphant
Sago Mine Disaster (Featured Story)
The Sunny Side of Appalachia- Bluegrass