Utah safety board cites Co-Op mine; UMWA backer to get back pay By GUILLERMO ESQUIVEL, The Militant, NY
HUNTINGTON, Utah—The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in Utah cited C.W. Mining July 27 for discriminating against Ricardo Chávez, a union backer at the Co-Op mine, according to miners who saw the citation posted on the company bulletin board at the bathhouse. MSHA ruled the company was in violation of the Mine Safety and Health Act when mine manager Charles Reynolds prevented Chávez from reporting to work July 13 on the basis of “lack of training.”
Miners said this is a step forward in their struggle to counter the offensive the bosses have been carrying out against United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) supporters since they returned to work July 12, after a nine-and-a-half month strike.
Ironically, the Co-Op mine’s safety trainer, José Ortega, is the person responsible for Chávez’s lack of training, Chávez said.