Labor Secretary goes underground for coal mining reality
Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez got a taste of the coal miner’s life on Dec. 1, when he descended 1,000 feet below the earth’s surface for an underground tour of a Cumberland Coal Resources LP mine in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
After a brief greeting and safety presentation, Perez strapped on his gear and headed to the elevator for the underground tour. He was joined by Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Joseph Main (a native of the area), Dennis O'Dell of the United Mine Workers of America, federal inspectors and several Cumberland workers.