Random Fact of the Day

In 2008, U.S. Coal mines employed 85,679 workers. 23% of coal miners are union employees; however, only 18% of coal production is from union members. Shocking!

One might leap to the assumption that union workers are less productive because they are more focused on safety. Nope. Union workers were only minimally less productive in underground mines (the most dangerous kind) at 3.1 tons per employee per hour, vs. 3.2 tons. However, in surface mines (the significantly less dangerous operation), non-union employees were substantially more productive at 10.3 tons per employee per hour vs. 7.6 tons.