St. Barbara intercede for them
From Interfaith Worker Justice:
Mother Jones is often quoted as saying, “Pray for the Dead, Fight like hell for the Living.” The 25 miners who lost their lives in the Upper Big Branch mining disaster call us to both prayer and activism.
We must pray for the miners still missing, the miners who have lost their colleagues and the families of those killed. Let us pray for them individually and through our congregations. April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, a time to remember those who have lost their lives in the workplace. Consider using IWJ’s Litany for Workers Memorial Day in one of your congregation’s services later this month.
We must also fight to protect those who work in dangerous workplaces like mines. The Upper Big Branch mine is operated by the Performance Coal Company, a non-union company operated by Massey Energy. In the last 22 years, the company has committed over 1,000 health and safety violations. Since the beginning of March 2010, the company has had 12 serious ventilation violations, including 8 for failing to follow the ventilation plan. This company had a pattern of violating health and safety guidelines. Such patterns of violations kill and maim workers.
Thank you for your prayers and your action.
The PNCC was founded among the coal miners of Scranton, PA and the surrounding area. The PNCC worked to educate and organize miners and other workers, alongside and in conjunction with the efforts of the Polish National Alliance.
The immigrant miners of 1897 faced many of the same dangers existent today. In my profession it is well established that evident patterns of bad behavior in business (tax evasion, safety and health violations, wage theft) are indicators of deeper problems that permeate the entire business. It is time to take off the rose colored glasses and see the bad guys for who they are, and to level the playing field for those who work ethically and within the law.
St. Barbara, intercede for the missing.
Blessed Mother, pray for the deceased.
Lord Jesus, by your cross and resurrection, have mercy on them all.
