UMWA praises Obama's MSHA budget

United Mine Workers of America International President
Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“We applaud President Obama’s budget for the Mine Safety
and Health Administration (MSHA), especially with regard to the proposed $2.2
million increase in funding for coal mine safety and health. This proposal
represents a good step in the right direction toward restoring MSHA’s oversight
capabilities.

“Yet while we appreciate the President’s commitment to
improving coal miners’ safety and health, we know that there is much more that
must be done to change the culture of the agency away from one that coddles
rogue operators to one that puts the welfare of coal miners first. We urge the
appointment of an Undersecretary of Labor who shares that objective, and we
look forward to working closely with the administration to ensure that it is
achieved.”