Working Life Podcast

Episode 59: Don Blankenship, the coal CEO robber baron, served a year in prison for his central role in a conspiracy that killed 29 miners in a massive 2010 mine explosion. Because workers' lives don't matter in our legal system, Blankenship could only be convicted of a misdemeanor violation, not manslaughter or murder. But, hey, when a party is willing to crown a pedophile, what's a few miners' deaths to stand in the way: Blankenship is running for the Republican nomination for US Senate in West Virginia. Jonathan has the low-down on how the miners died. Jonathan is, then, joined by Marianela Acuna Arreaza, executive director of Fe y Justicia Worker Center, to dig into the threat to the health of day laborers cleaning up after Hurricane Harvey. Jonathan wraps up with Mara Ortenburger of Worksafe who gives us insight into worker injuries at Tesla. Our Robber Baron is, yup, Don Blankenship.