UMW offers support to families, rescuers at Upper Big Branch

Phil Smith, Director of Communications for the UMWA says the union’s “trained and skilled” representatives are making themselves available to offer any assistance they can to the families and rescuers at the site.

Smith said that, to his knowledge as of Monday evening, the union representatives were not being used.  He added that, "These are folks that have decades of experience in safety issues and dealing with matters like this." 

The UMWA representative said his union is trying to save lives and figure out what happened to help prevent it happening in the future.

In a statement released Monday, United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts said, “The hearts and prayers of all UMWA members are with the families of those lost.” 

He went on to say that, although the Massey Energy mine is a non-union mine,  “We are all brothers and sisters in the coalfields at times like this.”