The US government’s ongoing assault on organized labor through the 1980s and 1990s meant that the mammoth energy conglomerates that dominated the coal industry were free to open non-union mines with increasing impunity. But mining was still just as rough—replete with injuries, accidents, and black lung deaths.
But part of coal’s legacy in central Appalachia is that, as with their economic opportunities, individuals often don’t have much control over whether they are healthy or not. Between drugs, poverty, social isolation, and lack of educational opportunities, there is any number of hazards that can derail, or even end, a person’s life. With so many possible pitfalls, it’s difficult to avoid encountering some.
It’s probably no coincidence that coal-mining towns emerged in the 1990s as the epicenter of the opioid crisis, says Shannon Monnat, sociology professor at Penn State University. Of course, injuries abound and surgery is common, leading to prescriptions for heavy-duty painkillers. To keep injured miners working—and from claiming disability insurance—some companies had doctors prescribing pain drugs on the job.
But part of coal’s legacy in central Appalachia is that, as with their economic opportunities, individuals often don’t have much control over whether they are healthy or not. Between drugs, poverty, social isolation, and lack of educational opportunities, there is any number of hazards that can derail, or even end, a person’s life. With so many possible pitfalls, it’s difficult to avoid encountering some.
It’s probably no coincidence that coal-mining towns emerged in the 1990s as the epicenter of the opioid crisis, says Shannon Monnat, sociology professor at Penn State University. Of course, injuries abound and surgery is common, leading to prescriptions for heavy-duty painkillers. To keep injured miners working—and from claiming disability insurance—some companies had doctors prescribing pain drugs on the job.
[with apologies to Knowles Shaw who wrote “Bringing In the Sheaves”
Fifth generation miners now are unemployed
because nobody profits from our working down a hole.
When Trump brings coal back and gets us off relief,
we shall die a-coughing, digging out the coal.
Refrain:
Digging out the coal, digging out the coal,
we shall die a-coughing, digging out the coal.
Digging out the coal, digging out the coal,
Digging out the coal, digging out the coal,
we shall die a-coughing, digging out the coal.
Never seeing sunshine, two miles underground,
Never seeing sunshine, two miles underground,
lungs as black as bosses greedy, grasping souls.
The bosses killed our union, so we work dirt cheap,
we shall die a-coughing, digging out the coal.
Refrain
Refrain
The bosses all rejoice as regulation ceases.
Our safety does not matter, profit is their goal.
Instead of two miles under we'll lay six feet deep,
in our early coffin from digging out the coal.
Refrain
Bonus #1:
Bonus #2:
[corrected: 1/3/2018 9:49pm]