BEAVER, W.Va. . Labor unions and mine operators on Tuesday criticized proposed federal rules to expand drug testing to include more than 116,000 coal miners, asking for sweeping changes to the proposal or that it be dropped. Mine operators praised the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration for tackling what they consider a major safety problem across the country. But they told agency representatives during a hearing that the rules are less stringent than drug testing already in place throughout much of the industry. Labor representatives blasted MSHA, saying it failed to make the case that drugs are a problem in the industry or that their use has contributed to deaths and injuries. "MSHA has not shown that the proposed rule is necessary," United Steelworkers official Mike Wright said during public testimony. "In this rule, MSHA is relying on limited anecdotal and sometimes irrelevant information." ...
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