Massey CEO pay soared while mining concerns grew

[kaiser soze]

This guy is fucking scum - He has too much control and contempt for the people of the Appalachian mountains it's not even funny. He needs to be fined and convicted for neglecting safety and environmental standards for years.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126072828&ps=cprs

Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship was paid $17.8 million last year even as some of the coal mines he supervised accumulated safety violations and injuries at rates that greatly exceed national rates.

That 2009 pay represents a $6.8 million raise over 2008 and almost double his compensation package in 2007.

Another story said it dropped - hmmm

http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/91280464.html

DENVER (AP) -- The Associated Press has found that compensation for Massey Energy's CEO fell 12 percent last year as the West Virginia coal mining company coped with sluggish demand.

Don Blankenship's pay was $17.3 million in 2009, compared with $19.7 million the year before.

regardless, this asshole is complicit in the deaths of the miners undoubtedly

P.S. He was a major financial backer (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Bzs&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&ei=mDjLS_yZG4P-8AaV6_n2BA&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CAUQBSgA&q=blankenship+donated+to+tea+party&spell=1) of the TeaParty in 2009 - goes to show who really is in charge.

[valvano]

does that mean when democrats give money to such organizations as the teamsters, then violence committed by those teamsters can be blamed on democrats??? based on your logic, it does...

http://www.unionfacts.com/unions/unionProfile.cfm?id=93

and while not defending Blankenship, Massey is very involved in charitable giving and community support in coal mining regions

http://www.masseyenergyco.com/community/groups.shtml

[kaiser soze]

Are you admitting that Teabaggers are violent?

I love the Massey propaganda site - Great they build 1 clinic in W.Virginia and only have a picture to show for it. I'm sold on their compassion and caring for their workers/citizens. :rolleyes:

Looks to me they're trying to buy off the citizens of W.V while ass raping them in the long run. Have you seen the mountains? Do you know what kind of shit this company is putting into their water?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_County_sludge_spill

I know mining is dangerous, but does it have to be China quality mining?

[valvano]

nice attempt at circular logic

and yes, i have been to the coal mining areas of Appalachia. Norton Training Mine in Norton, VA. Big Stone Gap area of VA. In fact, I've ridden the Santa Claus Special, a special train that has been run from Elkhorn City, KY to Kingsport TN since the 1940s, that has been a Holiday tradition for many generations. Wiki that.

You also fail to mention that Blankenship himself is a product of the mines......and you fail to mention the original Massey family who founded Massey Corp and their years of contributions to society...wiki the Massey Cancer Center to Medical College of Virginia....

[kaiser soze]

well that's awesome that you like trains

If you read the thread title there is a CEO in there - meaning Blankenship (not Massey), the piece of shit responsible for the death's of the miners. So why don't we discuss him, talk about circular logic.

But in all honesty Massey's hands are also covered with blood for allowing this cheap asshole lower safety standards. That's great that they have a cancer center, I applaud them for that. Now why would they have this - offering free head, neck and oral screenings to the community, makes me wonder.

Anyways Blankenship is a fucking piece of shit, no matter how much you try to polish him.

[valvano]

Again, let's use your logic and apply it to a real world example.
You lambast the Tea Party folks because they are support by Massey CEO Blankenship (again, not defending the man).

So, I am assume then you are equally upset to learn that the porno industry heavily supports the Democratic Party, demonstrated through a recent study of Baltimore politics:

http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=11014

The porn industry has probably done more harm to society than anything the coal industry could hope to do, so I guess based on your standards the Tea Party aint much to worry about?

Moving on to the coal industry and Massey. The coal industry is heavily regulated both at the state and federal levels. You know, the same fed govt that is taking over our healthcare system and the same fed govt that Obama wants to clamp down even further onto the financial markets. Yet this disaster happened....why? If you say the govt failed, for whatever reason, then why support the same govt taken over additional responsibilities over other economic sectors??? History has proven the govt to be extremely ineffiicent at what ever problem it tackles...

Face it, the coal industry is a dirty ugly business. But it is a necessary business because studies are finding all the hope about green jobs are more hype than substance. And these jobs are usually the only available jobs in very beautiful yet depressed areas. So instead of coming on hear with your typical anti business, anti coal rants, keep in mind the other sides of the story..

[kaiser soze]

Well thanks for your wealth of knowledge of the porn industry, start another thread if you have problems with that - I'm talking about Blankenship and his relationship with Massey, his disgusting paycheck, and the fact that he has cut corners and subsequently people have been endangered and have been killed.

I realize that this area is enslaved to the coal industry, this is the pain of this situation. - these people, their communities and environment are getting punk'd, while The CEO is getting rich. I agree that the state and federal govt have failed the people of this area - and yes I do believe that the govt's should get involved, that what govt is for- protecting citizens from rapist corporations.....supposedly.

Here's more on the scumbag

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36202623

JULIAN, W.Va. - The coal mine rocked by an explosion that killed at least 25 workers in the nation's deadliest mining disaster since 1984 had been cited for 600 violations in less than a year and a half, some of them for not properly ventilating methane — the highly combustible gas suspected in the blast.

The disaster at the Upper Big Branch mine has focused attention on the business and safety practices of the owner, Massey Energy, a powerful and politically connected company in Appalachia known for producing big profits, as well as big piles of safety and environmental violations and big damage awards for grieving widows.

Not everyone in that area is a fan of the mining companies

http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2007/10/04/save-appalachia-stop-mountaintop-removal/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18865933480

http://amountainjourney.wordpress.com/category/save-appalachia/page/4/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vG1dkckxyI

and how about you take your own advice with the "other sides of the story" before you tell someone else to do such.

[valvano]

ummm you are the one who began this thread for negatively pointing out the relationship betwee Blankenship and the Tea Party.... so I just took your initial point and expanded on it to show the relationship between the porn industry and the Dem Party....sorry it got your panties in an obvious twad :rolleyes: dont make points if you cant defend them when applied to other areas..

have you ever been to Appalachia or even an eastern US coal mine?

[DroppinScience]

The porn industry has probably done more harm to society than anything the coal industry could hope to do

This is a hilariously stupid statement. On what basis do you base that statement on?

[kaiser soze]

ummm you are the one who began this thread for negatively pointing out the relationship betwee Blankenship and the Tea Party.... so I just took your initial point and expanded on it to show the relationship between the porn industry and the Dem Party....sorry it got your panties in an obvious twad :rolleyes: dont make points if you cant defend them when applied to other areas..

have you ever been to Appalachia or even an eastern US coal mine?

I could care less about your useless attempts of changing the subject (with porn on your mind...tsk tsk). But hey - at least the GOP has Stormy Daniels (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002643-503544.html)

I have been to Appalachia, but not a coal mine - so I guess I shouldn't even talk about this right? So I guess there are many topics you shouldn't talk about as well using the same logic.

If you have problems with government owning all aspects of our lives, then why the fuck are you defending Blankenship who is trying to twiddle everything political to his needs? But hey profits and political clout over people.