Sept. 29, 2010
Raese's Greer Industries Fights Back Against Manchin Attack Ads
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
J. Robert Gwynne, Executive Vice President of Greer Industries, issued a strongly worded rebuttal to claims
made in recent television ads produced and distributed by Governor Manchin's U.S. Senate campaign.
Manchin is running against Greer's Chairman, John Raese, who is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate
and has taken the lead in both major polls covering this race.
Greer Industries has been owned by Raese's family for three generations and employs nearly 1,000 employees, most of them in West Virginia. The family's businesses include interests in limestone, coal, steel, tourism, and media. Greer has been in business since 1917, making it one of the state's oldest continually operating businesses.
In the press release issued Tuesday afternoon, Gwynne asserts that the Manchin campaign's attempt to paint Greer as a repeat offender on Workers' Comp issues is false. Gwynne states that the one example of a late payment to Workers' Comp provided by the Manchin campaign was eleven years ago with no repeat issues following.
Moreover, Gwynne takes on another assertion in Manchin's TV ads, namely that Greer's safety record is less than sound. Gwynne points out that Greer Industries has consistently won numerous state and federal awards for safety and from both Republican and Democratic administrations. He goes on to list those safety awards, including the prestigious Sentinels of Safety Award, given by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Gwynne notes that Manchin's accusations have caused "a great deal of unnecessary concern and worry among our employees, their families, and loved ones." He goes on to say that "the safety of our miners and all of our employees has been, is, and will continue to be our first priority; this is our commitment, and it is second to none." To bolster this point, Gwynne notes that at the five mines Greer has operated over several many years, there has not been a single mine fatality.
The complete text of Greer's press release follows. The letter to Greer employees referenced at the end of this press release contained virtually the same information as this release.
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Within the last few weeks, Greer Industries, Inc. and related companies have received correspondence and telephone calls from employees regarding political ads aired by Mr. Joe Manchin. These ads are attempts by the State’s Governor to impugn some of the finest companies in the State of West Virginia and for that matter in America with statements or inferences that our mine sites have had excessive safety violations and fines or that our companies have “repeatedly failed to pay workers compensation.” These ads are misleading at best and are at worst, with regard to certain facts, untrue, false, and defamatory.
The Manchin political ad regarding safety has caused a great deal of unnecessary concern and worry among our employees, their families, and loved ones, that our companies’ working conditions are less than safe. The safety of our miners and all of our employees has been, is, and will continue to be our first priority; this is our commitment, and it is second to none. Here are the REAL facts regarding our companies’ mine safety programs:
In addition, Mr. Manchin aired another ad in which he stated as fact that our “companies have repeatedly failed to pay workers’ compensation.” This statement has no basis in fact, and is untrue, false and defamatory. In making this ad, Mr. Manchin relied on an Associated Press story and newspaper article dated July 22, 1999—both of which are over eleven (11) years old. Neither the story nor the article uses the word “companies” or “repeatedly.” Moreover, the payment mentioned in the story or the article was either a reporting error or the failure of the Workers’ Compensation Fund to appropriately bill our companies. Our companies have always been in good standing with the Workers’ Compensation Fund, and none of our employees have ever been deprived of the benefits or protections of the Workers’ Compensation Act.
Greer Industries, Inc. and its related companies have and will continue to make our workers’ safety our number one priority. Attached is a letter that we have forwarded to our employees and their families to reassure them that our mines are among the safest in this country.
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Raese's Greer Industries Fights Back Against Manchin Attack Ads
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
J. Robert Gwynne, Executive Vice President of Greer Industries, issued a strongly worded rebuttal to claims
made in recent television ads produced and distributed by Governor Manchin's U.S. Senate campaign.
Manchin is running against Greer's Chairman, John Raese, who is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate
and has taken the lead in both major polls covering this race.
Greer Industries has been owned by Raese's family for three generations and employs nearly 1,000 employees, most of them in West Virginia. The family's businesses include interests in limestone, coal, steel, tourism, and media. Greer has been in business since 1917, making it one of the state's oldest continually operating businesses.
In the press release issued Tuesday afternoon, Gwynne asserts that the Manchin campaign's attempt to paint Greer as a repeat offender on Workers' Comp issues is false. Gwynne states that the one example of a late payment to Workers' Comp provided by the Manchin campaign was eleven years ago with no repeat issues following.
Moreover, Gwynne takes on another assertion in Manchin's TV ads, namely that Greer's safety record is less than sound. Gwynne points out that Greer Industries has consistently won numerous state and federal awards for safety and from both Republican and Democratic administrations. He goes on to list those safety awards, including the prestigious Sentinels of Safety Award, given by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Gwynne notes that Manchin's accusations have caused "a great deal of unnecessary concern and worry among our employees, their families, and loved ones." He goes on to say that "the safety of our miners and all of our employees has been, is, and will continue to be our first priority; this is our commitment, and it is second to none." To bolster this point, Gwynne notes that at the five mines Greer has operated over several many years, there has not been a single mine fatality.
The complete text of Greer's press release follows. The letter to Greer employees referenced at the end of this press release contained virtually the same information as this release.
===========
Within the last few weeks, Greer Industries, Inc. and related companies have received correspondence and telephone calls from employees regarding political ads aired by Mr. Joe Manchin. These ads are attempts by the State’s Governor to impugn some of the finest companies in the State of West Virginia and for that matter in America with statements or inferences that our mine sites have had excessive safety violations and fines or that our companies have “repeatedly failed to pay workers compensation.” These ads are misleading at best and are at worst, with regard to certain facts, untrue, false, and defamatory.
The Manchin political ad regarding safety has caused a great deal of unnecessary concern and worry among our employees, their families, and loved ones, that our companies’ working conditions are less than safe. The safety of our miners and all of our employees has been, is, and will continue to be our first priority; this is our commitment, and it is second to none. Here are the REAL facts regarding our companies’ mine safety programs:
* We have 5 mines (Greer Limestone, Decker’s Creek Limestone, Buckeye Limestone, Greer Lime, and Cheat River Limestone). These mines have operated for years without a single mine fatality.The Manchin political ad misleads the viewer by stating what appears to be a large number of violations by our companies. What this ad fails to mention is that these violations occurred over a 15 year period for all five of our mines. We averaged less than .6 violations per inspection which is excellent and puts us at the forefront of mine safety in our State. Moreover, this misleading safety ad was filmed at Eastern Associated Coal LLC’s Federal No. 2 Mine. Federal No. 2 mine, one of Eastern’s thirteen mines, has had 757 state and federal mine violations in little over a year—more than our five mines have incurred over the last 15 years. In addition, Federal No. 2 is under a federal investigation for falsifying safety records. This is where our Governor chose to attack us. This is purely political deception from a career politician. It is hard to believe, but our Governor, who was elected to represent all of us for the common good, chose this mine site with its track record to film a political ad to castigate one of the State’s most productive and safest mining operations.
* We have won numerous safety awards, including the prestigious Sentinel of Safety award from the Mine, Health and Safety Administration for no lost time accidents. The following are safety awards received by our companies:1. Department of Labor
Nineteen (19) times we have received the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s Certificate of Achievement in Safety and Sentinels of Safety Award.
2. Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training
Two (2) times we have received the Mountaineer Guardian Safety Award from the State of West Virginia’s Office of Miners Health, Safety and Training.
3. Governor’s Safety Awards
Under Governors Caperton and Underwood, we have received the Governor’s Safety Award three (3) times.
4. Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association
Twelve (12) times we have received this Certificate of Honor in Safety for “No Lost Time Accidents.”
5. National Lime Association (No Lost Time Accident Award)
Eight (8) times we have received this safety award.
6. Contractors Association of WV
Four (4) times we have received this Safety Achievement Award.
In addition, Mr. Manchin aired another ad in which he stated as fact that our “companies have repeatedly failed to pay workers’ compensation.” This statement has no basis in fact, and is untrue, false and defamatory. In making this ad, Mr. Manchin relied on an Associated Press story and newspaper article dated July 22, 1999—both of which are over eleven (11) years old. Neither the story nor the article uses the word “companies” or “repeatedly.” Moreover, the payment mentioned in the story or the article was either a reporting error or the failure of the Workers’ Compensation Fund to appropriately bill our companies. Our companies have always been in good standing with the Workers’ Compensation Fund, and none of our employees have ever been deprived of the benefits or protections of the Workers’ Compensation Act.
Greer Industries, Inc. and its related companies have and will continue to make our workers’ safety our number one priority. Attached is a letter that we have forwarded to our employees and their families to reassure them that our mines are among the safest in this country.
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