Read this article in:
12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 08/2003
I n the wake of a coal mine disaster on 13 May in Anhui Province in eastern China that left 63 miners dead and another 23 missing, the 20-million-member strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Union (ICEM) is calling on the world's mining industry to join with the global trade union federation in forming a "rapid response" team to investigate safety in China's mines.
The ICEM today has written the Chinese government and the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) offering assistance on the basis of a frank and open dialogue.
"Serious mining accidents are regrettably a regular feature of the Chinese mining industry," said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. "For this reason, the ICEM has written the ACFTU and the responsible minister in China to call on all parties to take immediate and serious measures to address the parlous state of health and safety in China's mines.
"We also call on the world mining industry to join with us in our attempts to improve the health and safety record of Chinese mining," added Higgs. Brussels-based ICEM is the preeminent trade union organization at the global level in the mining industry.
The 13 May disaster at the state-run Luling mine in Huaibel city, Anhui, is being blamed on a natural gas explosion. The 86 miners were working 500 meters inside the mine. The Luling mine employs 7,000 to 8,000, and produces 2.4 million tons of coal annually.
Figures from China's work safety bureau cite nearly 15,000 deaths occurred last year due to explosions, floods and cave-ins. In the first two months of 2003 alone, official figures cite 1,600 miners as having died in the country's mines. And a rash of accidents this spring has pushed this figure much higher.
On 17 April, floods trapped and killed 14 at the Jiangshuping mine in the coal-rich northern province of Shanxi. A natural gas explosion on 30 March at the Mengjiagou mine in Liaoning Province killed 25 miners, and another gas blast on 22 March at the Mengnanzhuang mine in Shanxi killed 72. The Mengjiagou mine explosion was caused when managers failed to evacuate miners after shutting off power to adjust voltage. The outage shut off units used to ventilate natural gas from shafts as it seeped from the coal bed.
"The miners of the world are not prepared to sit back and allow this unacceptable loss of life in China," said Higgs. "We're hopeful that with a joint labour-employer international team in place, coupled with the cooperation of the Chinese, comprehensive health and safety solutions can be found."
The ICEM today has written the Chinese government and the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) offering assistance on the basis of a frank and open dialogue.
"Serious mining accidents are regrettably a regular feature of the Chinese mining industry," said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. "For this reason, the ICEM has written the ACFTU and the responsible minister in China to call on all parties to take immediate and serious measures to address the parlous state of health and safety in China's mines.
"We also call on the world mining industry to join with us in our attempts to improve the health and safety record of Chinese mining," added Higgs. Brussels-based ICEM is the preeminent trade union organization at the global level in the mining industry.
The 13 May disaster at the state-run Luling mine in Huaibel city, Anhui, is being blamed on a natural gas explosion. The 86 miners were working 500 meters inside the mine. The Luling mine employs 7,000 to 8,000, and produces 2.4 million tons of coal annually.
Figures from China's work safety bureau cite nearly 15,000 deaths occurred last year due to explosions, floods and cave-ins. In the first two months of 2003 alone, official figures cite 1,600 miners as having died in the country's mines. And a rash of accidents this spring has pushed this figure much higher.
On 17 April, floods trapped and killed 14 at the Jiangshuping mine in the coal-rich northern province of Shanxi. A natural gas explosion on 30 March at the Mengjiagou mine in Liaoning Province killed 25 miners, and another gas blast on 22 March at the Mengnanzhuang mine in Shanxi killed 72. The Mengjiagou mine explosion was caused when managers failed to evacuate miners after shutting off power to adjust voltage. The outage shut off units used to ventilate natural gas from shafts as it seeped from the coal bed.
"The miners of the world are not prepared to sit back and allow this unacceptable loss of life in China," said Higgs. "We're hopeful that with a joint labour-employer international team in place, coupled with the cooperation of the Chinese, comprehensive health and safety solutions can be found."