Union sees Westray reopening

A spokesman for the union representing miners at the Westray coal mine in Nova Scotia says the mine could reopen.

“I am sure there is a need for this type of low sulphur coal and we are taking the view that the mine can reopen if it is done safely,” says Andy Gillis, a staff representative for the United Steelworkers of America. Of the 126 Westray mine workers who gathered for a union certification meeting in Stellarton, May 29, about 85% voted in favor of joining the Steelworkers union. Westray is owned by Curragh Inc. (TSE), previously known as Curragh Resources.

Union organizers say their next step is to make sure that 26 miners killed by an explosion at the mine May 9 are represented when an independent inquiry headed by Justice Peter Richard gets under way.

Although no date has been set for the inquiry, Gillis says the union has already hired a Halifax legal firm to act on behalf of the miners. “We will try to ensure that a technical adviser hired to assist the inquiry has credibility with the workers and that any legal costs incurred are taken care of.

“We hope that the inquiry will be full, honest and completely transparent and if anything good comes out of it, this can be used as a bench mark for other companies,” he told The Northern Miner.

As government officials were meeting with families of the accident victims recently, crews at the mine attempted to repair some of the damage caused by the massive explosion.

Since the entrance way was literally blown to pieces, the company has to replace all of the structural work down to a crosscut on the 8th level where the lower reaches of the mine are expected to be sealed off.