Rushton Project, Sunshine Mining Disaster, and Other Mining Safety Research, 1966-1988

This box contains material related to the Rushton Mining Company and the Rushton Project (1972-1976). The Rushton Quality of Work Project attempted to improve Mine Safety & Health as well as Labor Relations in an experiment sanctioned by the Coal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1969 - which permitted the Union & Company to suspend traditional labor and contract laws as well as certain provisions of the Federal Coal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1969 and to experiment with a cooperative negotiation-based agreement. This occurred at the Rushton Mine in Pennsylvania and JDM was the Chief UMWA National Officer involved. Also included in this box is research on the Sunshine Mining Company in Idaho and a disaster that occurred there in May of 1972. The Sunshine Mining Company was a silver mine in Kellogg, Idaho; JDM researched this incident during his work with Ralph Nader and afterward provided testimony to House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on Labor members in support of mine safety reform. Other miscellaneous files related to additional research conducted by JDM on mining employee safety and health are also included. These papers include clippings, reports, correspondence, government documents, court documents, and notes.