The Oriental Morning Post asked on Tuesday whether coal miners can participate in the mine management.
Coal mine managers must lead miners into the mines, according to a recent rule by the State Development and Reform Commission and State Administration of Work Safety.
The rule was enacted to ensure work safety measures are strictly followed underground, after many coal mine accidents have claimed thousands of lives across the country.
The mine operators must improve the working conditions if they don't want to get killed, but the question is who will ensure they go underground.
The coal mine owners disregard the workers' lives for the two parties are not on an equal footing. The workers have no say in management and have to accept the mine operators' terms to earn a living, even if they know it's dangerous to work under the poor working conditions underground.
Therefore, workers should have their voice in mine management, or at least in work safety management.
An independent safety management body comprised of mine workers and technicians should be set up, which should take a fixed percentage from the mine income for safety improvement. Besides, it should be in constant contact with government work safety departments.