Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Daniel Wong]

Hi,there
Yesterday it was reported on TV that a coal mine in some part of US(I forgot the exact State) exploded,killing and injuring several workers. Here in China, coal mine accidents happen not as often as before but still quite frequently. Too often, we think that coal mine workers,who come from the least developed areas in China, are burdened with lots of work to do and are very poorly educated and paid.
What about in US? Do people respect them and treat them equally? Are they low paid or not? Do they feel ashamed having that kind of dangerous and dirty job? Do they have enough rights?
_________________
Home Is Where The Heart Is

[asterix]

All underground mining is dangerous.
Coal face workers are always at risk of roof falls, explosions, and poisoning from methane gas.
In the USA there are stringent regulations governing companies that operate mines.
Unfortunately they are not always properly observed and as a result accidents such as the one you are talking about still happen.
The company that operates that mine has violated many of the safety regulations that are in force and will probably be prosecuted and fined. Some of the executives may go to jail if they are found to be negligent.
This will not help the people who died, though.
Coal miners are often unionised workers and consequently they earn quite good wages.
Often, coal miners are not well-educated, so they are limited in their choice of work.
I think it would be fair to say that they are respected for the hard and dangerous work they do, but they are not rich.

[Daniel Wong]

Hi,
Thanks for your post!
I once saw an American film that contains scenes in which coal mine workers are quite happy while working. Though they are all over black, they talk,they laugh,and they work hard. It seems very organized down there. However, I often feel sympathy for coal mine workers in China. Their lives are not paying enough attention.Their living conditions are incredibly bad. They can't even take a bath constantly. I'M GONNA KILL MYSELF IF FALLING ASLEEP WITH DIRT ALL OVER ME. But I simply can do nothing but wish things could get better one day.
I'm glad to hear Americans,at least most of them,respect them and feel thankful of them. They sacrifice to supply cities with basic energy source,especially in winter when North America usually gets quite freezing.
Let's pray for those who died in the recent coal mine explosion or had died before in such killing accidents. May this kind of tragedy never ever happen again!
_________________
Home Is Where The Heart Is

[cheetah]

Hope as technology progress. robot will replace mankind as miner!

[admiral]

That's a good idea! Perhaps it's already able now, but people didn't have the thought yet.
Why don't you invent such a machine?
_________________
If I say "I love you" to someone, then I also have to say "I love inside you everyone else. I love the whole world because of you. I also love myself inside you"