(Broadcast on June 29, 2002)
According to officials, 115 people have died in a gas explosion at the Chengzihe coal mine in Heilongjiang province. The mine is owned by the Jixi Mining Bureau. After the explosion, CLB interviewed a miner with 17 years of experience at the coalface. This senior miner talked about the problem of safety at the Jixi coalmines and what he felt was the root of the current crisis. We will broadcast the discussion in three parts. In the following first broadcast, he talks about the pace of work and the practice of bringing in agreement workers to complete quotas. In his view, pressure from mine management and subcontractors are constantly upping the pace of work and this is a basic reason behind the crisis in health and safety.
Miner:
The bloody management hire outside guys who are coming in and starting work in the shafts with just three days training. Of course youre going to get accidents. In fact, its not just our pit [Chengzihe]; its the same everywhere. Safe or not, they [management] set the quota and we have no way to say No. This place is dangerous and they [gang bosses] can do something. But they just say OK, no problem. Its just a couple of minutes and tell you to get on with the work. And then it turns out its not OK. Its bloody criminal.
Han:
It sounds like a game of Russian roulette.
Miner:
It is! I cant tell you what its like in the shaft. I have been working in the mines for 15 to 16 years and seen it all. If they operated in accordance with the procedures and regulations then they wouldnt meet the production targets. Thats whats behind the accidents, the continual drive to increase the rate of work. We just work fast and get out of the pits fast thats the point of piece work and who wants to stay too long in the shaft anyway. We miners are all like this. Everything is fast. Work fast, get finished fast and get out fast. No one wants to hang around down there!
Han:
Is there no fear? Dont they know an accident could occur at any time?
Miner:
[Laughing]. Yes they are afraid. Thats why they want to get out of there so quickly. Thats how it is.
Han:
Whats the proportion of agreement workers against formal staff?
Miner:
Weve got agreement workers and formal workers and there are lots of people coming in for a few bucks. Why is management so keen on these agreement workers? Its hard to say clearly. The mine doesnt pay wages so the formal miners have no choice but to quit. So they bring in agreement workers and pay them instead.
Han:
So you are saying that the experienced miners are not working?
Miner:
Its not as simple as that. Some guys dont have the skills and so they just have to try and get along as best they can. Most of the experienced miners have already left. It pisses me off. You work all month and come pay day they dont pay up. Then they get outside people in and pay them instead. Surely it would be better to pay the original miners and keep them on? But thats how they do things round here. It doesnt make fxxking sense. Theyll lean on you and then you quit. The experienced miners have all left and the unskilled guys dont have a chance theyre stuck here!
Han:
And how serious is the wage arrears situation?
Miner:
Its a little better now. January and February this year have been paid. The bastards have been more than 30 months behind before now!
Han:
Thirty months. Have they made up for any of it?
Miner:
No.
Han:
So as of now, how many months are they behind?
Miner:
Twenty five, twenty six months.
Han:
Thats accumulated arrears?
Miner:
I am not counting the arrears since we got paid for January and February. I am just talking about the 25, 26 months from before.
Han:
And they havent paid out since February?
Miner:
Thats right.
Han:
When did the arrears start, at various times?
Miner:
For two months back in 94 they only paid 80% of the wage packet. The rest never came by. In 95, they didnt pay April, May, June and July. In 1996 they paid all year and in 97 we got no wages in December. In 98 we got nothing at all! No wages all bloody year!
Han
What about 1999?
Miner:
They paid up until September.
Han:
But nothing in October, November and December?
Miner:
Thats right.
Han:
And 2000?
Miner:
From 2000 up until February this year, they paid up.
Han:
No gaps?
Miner:
No, every month.
Han:
Up until February this year
Miner:
Yes.
Han:
And then they stopped?
Miner:
Yes. And they havent restarted.
Han:
So rounding it up: one, two, three, four, five
counting as far as March this year they owe 20 months, right?
Miner:
Thats right!
Han:
And about five months since February?
Miner:
Twenty five, twenty six months in all.
Han:
Is this based on your own situation?
Miner:
Not just me. The bastards owe us all!
Han:
Are there some who are better off than you and others still worse off?
Miner:
Well its all about the same. Of course, there are various scams going on and get most of the wages!
Han:
The scams get their wages?
Miner:
Thats fxxking right. Doesnt matter where you go they dont pay a penny.
Han:
Are the people getting paid in the majority or minority?
Miner:
Still a minority.
Han:
What can people do to get their money?
Miner:
For a start off dont think of getting it off the boss. Even some of the families of those who have met with disaster in a major accident dont get a penny off the bastards.
Han:
Has compensation been arranged following this latest accident? Are the families likely to get anything?
Miner:
Well the compensation process is not always the same. It varies.
Han:
What do you mean its not the same?
Miner:
Compensation this time is high because the central government have sent people down here. It would be a different matter if it wasnt such a major accident. Theyre bastards. They will just compensate Rmb 10,000 or 20,000 and thats it.
Han:
Are the compensation standards for formal miners and agreement miners the same?
Miner:
Definitely not the same. Formal miners probably get less because the mine has to provide for his kids.
Han:
And agreement miners get a one-off payment?
Miner:
Thats right. In the past, when there was an accident the bastards would compensate at Rmb 10,000. If you are good, they can get you a new permanent job. The kid will be taken care of until the age of 18 or until schooling had finished. But with these agreement workers, they pay you once, and thats it.
Han:
In this situation, do you reckon that by changing the employment system and asking the relatively experienced miners to come back things might improve, relatively speaking?
Miner:
Hard to say. But as far as this pit is concerned, the buggers are not about to do anything like that here. Experienced miners wages are high right? And these younger men are on much less. Were on Rmb 210 to 230 but theyre only bringing in Rmb 90 plus a month. Well get the same if we stay. The older miners just wont swallow this. You can go to the management but they will just say its the policy to pay the same rates. The old guys
wont do it even if there is work. Do you see what I mean?
Han:
Another question is how effective is the trade union on the issue of workers rights and health and safety?
Miner:
[Laughing]. Well its backs the Party and the management, not the workers! Why would the party and government keep the trade union if it backs the workers?
Han:
But according to trade union regulations, it ought to
Miner:
What you are saying is correct but the trade union serves the Party and government and if it doesnt they will simply dump it.
Han:
Is the trade union chairperson elected?
Miner:
No. No way.
Han:
Have you ever voted in a trade union election to select a chairperson?
Miner:
No. I have worked for thirty bloody years, but I have never taken part in such an election.
Please tune in for next Saturdays broadcast.
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The other two parts in this series:
Subcontracted Mines Leave No Room for Safety -- From a Jixi Miner (2) 2002-07-06
What Does the State Enterprise Reform Mean to the Workers? From a Jixi Miner (3) 2002-07-13