15-10-2010, 10:33 AM
A good post by John Pilger and very true.
Even as all the media coverage was going on police were persecuting striking workers and students and Mapuches who were on a hunger strike for all of the time. No coverage of them. The miners sent 4 notes up. Only 2 were shown to the media. The notes shown by the media were of the one telling the resuers that they were all alive in the refuge and the other a note from one miner to his wife. The other notes were telling Pinera to "shut up" and another one in support of the Mapuches still on hunger strike. See them here: http://www.deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/...php?t=4472
The whole thing was highly choreographed from the word go. The rescuers were wanting to get the miners out ASAP from day 1 but Pinera was wanting them out by the 17th when he had to travel over seas and there was constant pressure from the Moneda Palace to have it all done before he needed to leave. Pinera is also a billionaire media magnate in the mould of Berlesconi and Murdoch. He has made millions from the media event and will probably make millions more in the book and film deals coming down the pipeline. Much of the mining and drilling equipment that was used was rented by another Minister with mining interests.
All of the workers were scabs. The unionised mine workers would not work that mine because it was declared dangerous. There are a handful of mine inspectors to inspect the hundreds of mines through out the length of Chile. The industry has been deregulated and significantly deunionised since Pinochet. Even though these trapped workers were scabs many of them communicated in clear word to Pinera on their release that he must do something for workers to stop this ever happening. The rescue workers were also extremely strong with Pinera about where they stood on this. The last rescuer out and the last man out (and first one down) when welcomed back by Pinera said that he was very happy to do what he did but never again in his life did he ever want to do that again and he impressed on Pinera that he was responsible from now on for making sure that this is never allowed to happen.
The owners of this mine have not been charged (as far as I know yet at least) with what happened. They have been charged with other breaches (just before the mine collapse) of safety regulations at another mine they owned where a miner lost his limb. Once their mine collapsed trapping the 33 men the company declared bankruptcy and refused to pay for any rescue and in effect washing their hands of it all and leaving all the men for dead. None of the men have been paid their wages since they went underground. Needless to say none of them nor their families want to mine again and many will not be able to work again. Chile has 1% of the world's miners and 8% of the world's mining fatalities. Mine owners have been getting away with murder forever. Pinera has also allowed then to get away with it until now. He will allow them to do so in future when the stock marker starts screaming at the 'attack' on profits and 'interference' with business by regulations.
Even though Pinera has vowed to adopt developed-world health and safety standards to ensure the dignity of workers after the rescue of the miners he is not involving the union in any of this and I don't think you should hold your breath waiting for it especially once the cameras have moved on.
Even as all the media coverage was going on police were persecuting striking workers and students and Mapuches who were on a hunger strike for all of the time. No coverage of them. The miners sent 4 notes up. Only 2 were shown to the media. The notes shown by the media were of the one telling the resuers that they were all alive in the refuge and the other a note from one miner to his wife. The other notes were telling Pinera to "shut up" and another one in support of the Mapuches still on hunger strike. See them here: http://www.deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/...php?t=4472
The whole thing was highly choreographed from the word go. The rescuers were wanting to get the miners out ASAP from day 1 but Pinera was wanting them out by the 17th when he had to travel over seas and there was constant pressure from the Moneda Palace to have it all done before he needed to leave. Pinera is also a billionaire media magnate in the mould of Berlesconi and Murdoch. He has made millions from the media event and will probably make millions more in the book and film deals coming down the pipeline. Much of the mining and drilling equipment that was used was rented by another Minister with mining interests.
All of the workers were scabs. The unionised mine workers would not work that mine because it was declared dangerous. There are a handful of mine inspectors to inspect the hundreds of mines through out the length of Chile. The industry has been deregulated and significantly deunionised since Pinochet. Even though these trapped workers were scabs many of them communicated in clear word to Pinera on their release that he must do something for workers to stop this ever happening. The rescue workers were also extremely strong with Pinera about where they stood on this. The last rescuer out and the last man out (and first one down) when welcomed back by Pinera said that he was very happy to do what he did but never again in his life did he ever want to do that again and he impressed on Pinera that he was responsible from now on for making sure that this is never allowed to happen.
The owners of this mine have not been charged (as far as I know yet at least) with what happened. They have been charged with other breaches (just before the mine collapse) of safety regulations at another mine they owned where a miner lost his limb. Once their mine collapsed trapping the 33 men the company declared bankruptcy and refused to pay for any rescue and in effect washing their hands of it all and leaving all the men for dead. None of the men have been paid their wages since they went underground. Needless to say none of them nor their families want to mine again and many will not be able to work again. Chile has 1% of the world's miners and 8% of the world's mining fatalities. Mine owners have been getting away with murder forever. Pinera has also allowed then to get away with it until now. He will allow them to do so in future when the stock marker starts screaming at the 'attack' on profits and 'interference' with business by regulations.
Even though Pinera has vowed to adopt developed-world health and safety standards to ensure the dignity of workers after the rescue of the miners he is not involving the union in any of this and I don't think you should hold your breath waiting for it especially once the cameras have moved on.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.