Pike River: Concerned miners debate their future

The West Coast town of Greymouth has been shaken by the Pike River mine tragedy. Photo / Herald on Sunday

The loss of 29 men in the Pike River mine explosions has some West Coast miners debating their future while wives, girlfriends and parents wonder if their men should make a change of career.

At the time of the Strongman Mine disaster in 1967, there were about 250 men working in that mine and others nearby. Within a year, a third of those had left the industry, either because of their own worries about the welfare of their families in the event of other accidents, or under pressure from wives and girlfriends and others close to them.

Some Greymouth parents today were prepared to express their present misgivings but did not want to be named.

One father said he felt very concerned and it would be on his mind every day that his son was down a mine from now on.

Another said that seeing the devastation on the faces of the parents who lost their sons in the mine had certainly "brought it home" to him.
"What parent would not be worried? It hits home when you see that, when boys don't come back from their shift," he said.

Another couple, whose son is a miner, said their confidence in mine safety had taken a blow. They felt having check inspectors again on every shift as in the past would help give families more confidence.
"Something needs to be done about safety, but in the end it is his and his wife's decision if he stays there," they said.

A former miner, whose grandson has followed him into the industry, said that despite the Pike River disaster, modern mine equipment and measuring apparatus was much better than in the past.

"Everyone has to make their own decisions about where they work but you have to look after yourself and everyone else by keeping to the rules," he said.

One young miner said he felt safe with the rules, but had heard there was some discussion among others about whether to stay in the industry.

Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union representative at Solid Energy's Spring Creek Mine Trevor Bolderson said now was not the time to be discussing the issue, but it would be addressed later.

Meanwhile, West Virginia lawyer Davitt McAteer, who is heading an investigation of the Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy in which 29 miners died in a gas explosion on April 4 this year, says the Pike River disaster is the same story that has played out for the past 50 years, where somehow safety checks failed and the miners died.

He said technology in the mining industry had come a long way and there was no reason people should continue to die.

"You can't suggest that the mining industry is going forward into the 21st century with the rate that it's killing people. We know how to mine safely so how is this happening?" he asked.

Solid Energy's director of communications Vicki Blyth said.
"We understand that there might be concerns. However, we are comfortable that our mines are operating safely.

"We are spending a lot of time with our staff talking with them and looking at ways of helping their families to understand how we do manage our operations safely."

- GREYMOUTH STAR