Emery County Progress Castle Dale, Utah Tuesday September 30, 2003 7A Walkout Plagues Co-O- p By RICHARD SHAW Sun Advocate Reporter A move to take disciplinary action initiated by the management concerning an employee at p Mine in Emery the resulted in the walkout County of a number of miners from the facility last Monday. We had an incident that occurred with one of the employees, said Charles Reynolds, the personnel manager for the nfine. It w'as necessary for us tq take disciplinary action. Apcording to Reynolds, it was then that some of the employees walked off the job. It's been a couple of days since they walked off, noted Reynolds on Wednesday afternoon. After three days off the jtib we assume someone who leiaves and doesnt contact us lifts quit their job. Reynolds slated that the employee who was brought in to be Co-O- ; ; disciplined was William Estrada, and that he had failed to complete a job he was supposed to perform.That was the reason for the disciplinary action. Reynolds said that work was still proceeding at the mine and ! that all shifts were operating, albeit a little short. He wasn't sore how many miners had walked off the property. iBut workers, including Estrada, that gathered in Washington Park for a rally on Wednesday had a different stoiy tell. ; We wanted a meeting with tej management over this problem and some others w hen we went down to the office after we had heard what was happeningwith Billy, said .Allison Kennedy, a mine worker from Price. They refused to meet with us and told us to go home. They even brought in the Emery County sheriff to back them up. She also said that the company told all those that had walked off the job that they were fired. But the company gave a different take on that. Estrada was the only one of the group that was fired," stated , Reynolds. Estrada says the he felt the company was trying to coerce him into signing a letter that stated he wasnt doing his job. They told me if didn't sign would be considered insubordination, he said while stand- iig with others at the park. Mine They suspended me for three days and then wouldnt give me a copy of the letter. The number of workers that left the job site is in dispute. The company says that not that many workers wralked off. How-evthe employees who left say the disruption began on day shift and that night workers from the other shifts got together and voted to not work as well. At the rally in the park, over 60 people showed up on Wednesday morning. Workers at the gathering say there is much more to this than just the firing of Estrada. Working conditions, pay, unclear directions by supervisors and safety problems are also among the complaints they have. They also are concerned about what they call a company union that exists in the mine. The workers have union, stated Reynolds. The International Association of United Mine Workers did not authorize the w alkout. The workers, however, say that the union is actually a union started by the company and that all the officers of the organization are bosses in the mine. Only a few workers belong to the union, noted Kennedy. They have begun calling the bosses their leadmen so that they fit into the union memberer ship. Workers say that most people at the mine are paid only minimum wage or just a little above that and that the union dues are $16 per month or $8 per check. Very few workers belong to the union, said Estrada. The workers said that the unclear directions often get workers in trouble. In one incident, a worker was ordered to do something by a boss and then was purportedly threatened with his job for doing it. As for safety problems, workers claim there are many of them and that was part of the reason for the walkout. One of the problems I saw is that the mine gets its water supply from an area of the mine that is caved in, said Kennedy. They sent some workers in there to work on something and p Mine during a rally on WednesUnited Mine Workers representative Mike Dalpiaz speaks to workers from the A walkout on miner the and a by some of the miners on all Monday concerning subsequent day morning. labor dispute in shifts a resulted the companies has dispute. According to the miners they seemingly classic have all been let go from their employment at the mine. A corporate spokesman said on Wednesday afternoon that approximately 40 workers left on their own and have not returned. Co-O- labor-manageme- nt most of them cleared out because they could see how dangerous it was. The Suit Advocate left a message at the district office of MSHA in Colorado on Monday morning asking questions about the mines safety, but the call w as not returned by press time. In the area of inappropriate work and unclear direction, one of the workers also cited the case of a miner who allegedly was ordered to inspect a coal seam face by a supervisor who was supposed to do it himself. The worker was suspended for doing that job despite the fact the foreman had ordered him to doit. The rally in the park was set up by the United Mine Workers of America who have been organize the mines workers under their umbrella. A lot of these workers dont understand English, said Jim were goingdoor to door in Emery County attempting to gain support for their walkout. They were passing out a flyer which had 15 points on it con UMWA, Stevens of the UMWA who was in attendance at the rally. Some have their citizenship papers, while others are not documented. In recent das the mine has been going to some of the individual miners and trying to hire them back. Reynolds said that the workers who left have not contacted the union that is in place at the mine. The union here is not sure what is going on, he said. Some of these people were refusing in the past to work with the mines union employees. Over this past weekend, some workers, supported by the try-ing- to conditions, and very young children are more likely to get complications from influenza. Pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections are three examples of complications from flu People with chronic health conditions, who get the flu, may have worsening of this condition. Who needs a flu shot? The Center for Disease Control gives these general recommendations, please check with your Primary Health Care Provider for your specific needs: Persons with certain high risk medical conditions All persons 50 years of age or older Health care workers Caregivers or house hold contacts of high risk persons Any person who wishes to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill v nh influenza, has no contraindications to the vaccine, and is at least 6 months old Women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the XIMS XO'im'E'R 1 it it Utah Has First Human West Nile Virus Case R I Utah public health officials rdport that a Utah resident has contracted West Nile virus. The person was exposed to West Nile irus in Uintah County. The patient is alive and is recovering from the infection. In 2003, West Nile virus has been detected in eijt'ht Utah counties including Carbon, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, Sanpete, Uintah, Utah, aid Wayne. Prior to this human d c4se, public health officials West Nile virus in mosqui-tqe- s and horses in Uintah County this summer. Twelve of t Ik? 21 Utah horses infected with st Nile irus are from Uintah County. West Nile is transmitted tuboth humans and horses by mhsquitoes. ;As we have been telling the pOblic this last year, it was not a mjitter of if, but when West Nile pus arrived in our community. Having known this we have been aggressive in our educational, environmental and disease suriden-tipe- veillance efforts, Staffer, Health UP&L Employees Credit Union Fmery County Abstract & Tile TcaniTrizetjponiors CEU Bookstore CEU Athletic Department Roosevelt Golf Course Spanish Oaks Golf Course Moab Golf Course High Velocity Sports The Meat Shop Hometown Market Gifts Donated b Classy Closets James Banasky Insurance High Image Apparel WeiMart of Huntington Millsite Golf Pro Shop Kim Quinlon, Family Nurse Practitioner flu season Influenza!! Dont Spread It Prevent It! What is the flu? Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious disease that is caused by the influenza virus. It attacks the respirator) tract in humans (nose, throat and lungs) The flue is different from a cold Influenza usually comes on suddenly and may include these symptoms. Feer. headache tueiiness (tan be extreme). dr cough, sate throat nasal congestion, both aches Influenza is a respiratory disease and not a stomach or intestinal disease Millions of people tn the United States, about U)o to 20 of U S residents, w ill get influenza each year An average of about 36,000 people per year in the United States die from influenza, and 14,000 per year have to be admitted to the hospital as a result of influenza Anyone can get the flu (even healthy people), and serious problems from influenza can happen at any age People age 65 years and older, people of any age with chronic medical Insurance Castle Chiropractic Center Nielson Construction Drawing I'ri.c Sponsors Palisade Stale Park Golt Course Green River Golt Course TKs Pro Shop Ferron City Council Big Mamas Pizza Castle Valley Service Not So Oldlllary, owner APRN I.immv Pierce Earls Furniture Star Theatre Hole in One Chance to win gear Mountain View Motors Chris Nelson Putting Contest Coca Cola ot Price, Pace Hansen All children aged months are encouraged to be vaccinated when feasible, due to their increased risk for influenza-relate- d hospitalizations Persons v ho shouldn't be v accinated are those w ho are known to has e anaphv lactic hy persensitiv it) to eggs or to other components of the influenza vaccine. What is Flu Mist? I luMisi achieves a goal of altermany flu experts a needle-fre- e It is a live virus vaccine that has been native to the annual shot modified and weakened so that it produces immunity without causing illness The vaccine comes in a single HuMist sprayer and 12 of the vaccine is administered into each nostril while you are in an upright position Only healthy persons from 5 to 49 years of age can receive luMist Children 6 years of age will need 2 doses if it is the first time they have received the flu vaccine If a child received a flu shot last year they only need one dose ot FluMist this year. Don't assume your insurance will cover it and the cost is approximately $S0 00 a dose October i )usi around the comer don't forget to add to your list a TLU SNOT""'1 'Brought to you By: CastCe Country CCinic 0 613-946- 6 (i Joseph Officer, Health Department. TriCounty !Most people who are infected with West Nile virus do not show any symptoms. Some (about sympope in five) have e toms with fever, muscle aches, and possibly a rash. Fewer still (about one in 150) develop more severe illness affecting the brain and spinal cord. They may have symptoms such as headache, paralysis, and stiff neck. People oVer the age of 50 are more likely to de elop serious illness. As of today, 4,325 people in the United States have been infected wilh West Nile virus this year, and 81 have died. Colorado has had the highest number of individuals infected this year, along with the most deaths from the disease. !Tn affected areas, local mosquito abatement district workers are increasing their efforts to reduce the number of mosquitoes that can spread the disease. flu-lik- The CEU Alumni Association would like to thank the following for making our 4th Annual Golf Tournament a great success. Hole Sponsors and Cash Donations Wells Fargo Tracy Jetts Lamont Arnold La Veil King Representative Brad King DBT ot America Stewarts Thrittway Nielsons Phaimacy Castle Valley Co-o- p Jones Ace Hardware Senator Mike Dmitrich Zions Bank Desertview Federal Carbon Emery Service Credit Union cerning their perspective surrounding the relationship that has existed between the company and the workers. Savage Remington & Federal Rifle Ammo RifleScope Blaze Orange Combo 5TJ LaCross Brawny Hooded Sweatshirt Asst. Cals., Stainless BBL & Composite Stock Reg. $29.99 ONLY Save $40.00 Waterproof Hunting Boots Reg. $79.99 Nikon Action Blaze Orange PolyFil Binoculars Vests 7x35, Reg. $79.99 Reg. $42.99 99 OFF BSA Deerhunter 3x9 Variable Rifle Scope Ruger M77 Bolt Action Rifle Asst. Cals, Wood or Synthetic Stock Entire Stock Gun Slings.................... Live life to the 730 West Price River Dr., Price 435-6- 1 435-6- 1 fullest Mon-S- at 9am-7p- m RIFLEfSCOPJS . JS9 " 449" 20 OFF