In a message dated 5/12/00 8:06:07 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< Choices. If I recall, he suggests that while hourly rates were generally
higher in the coal industry (especially for practical miners), dead time,
irregular work (they worked fewer days per year than factory workers) and
other factors made tended to mean that they were not as well paid as
thought. Recall too that most practical miners were paid piece rates.
A fascinating and important study is the commission of inquiry into the
recent Westray mining disaster in Nova Scotia. It offers an array of
information on safety and other important matters and posits an important
connection between wages and safety, in particular the bonus system, which
like payment by piece rates, encouraged risk taking.
John Hinde >>
There is no way of getting around it. Even with all of the necessary safety
equipment and strict enforcement of federal, state, local and company safety
rules the final choice of safe or unsafe acts lies in the hands of the
workman and everyone must ultimately be responsible for his own safety. We
have the same situation in driving on the highways. There are always a few
who will exceed the speed limit, fail to stop at lights and refuse to obey
the safety rules. They die and we who obey these rules get the blame.
Mason Coggin
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|