Hi-vis Heroes
The Newcastle Knights may have been the winners at the Voice 4 Mining Family Day, but it’s the thousands of people who showed up in Hi-vis supporting our industry who are champions in our books.
There are not many industries that come under constant attack as much as our coal mining industry and that can make it hard to stand up and be proud of what we do. That’s why we were honoured to join thousands of other people wearing Hi-vis at the Voice 4 Mining Family Day and help celebrate our industry.
This country owes so much to coal mining and the people who work in it deserve respect. They have not only earned it, but in some cases have sacrificed their lives for it.
On September 1, a memorial event will be held to acknowledge the centenary of the 1923 Bellbird Mine Disaster that resulted in the death of 21 miners. On September 10, the MEU Northern Mining & NSW Energy District will be holding its 26th Annual Memorial Day Service to honour the 1,793 men, women and boys who lost their lives on the job in the Northern Districts coalfields since 1801.
We should never forget the most valuable thing in our industry is not a commodity. It’s people.
