All former and current coal miners in western Virginia are encouraged to take advantage of the free and confidential health screenings the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will be offering starting tomorrow.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs has issued a final rule that revises the Black Lung Benefits Act in order to give miners greater access to their health information.
Workers often bear the brunt of the coal industry’s decline. One case stands out: 208 Indiana miners, wives and widows whose health care may fall to financial engineering.
There was plenty in the complex deal to benefit bankers, lawyers, executives and hedge fund managers. Patriot Coal Corp. was bankrupt, but its mines would be auctioned to pay off mounting debts while financial engineering would generate enough cash to cover the cost of the proceedings.