Philip Rushton
Hinton Parklander Reporter
The Alberta Coal Branch Homecoming saw miners gather in Cadomin August long weekend to unwind and catch up on old times.
With strong coffee on hand at the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) office, many stories of old days before when coal driven locomotives were driven by strong coal miner's labour.
Old timer miner, mechanic and millwright Syd Alexander recently retired with a gift more symbolic than a gold watch for long mine service.
Union president Brent Bish presented him with an authentic miner's oil lamp on July 28 with an engraved plaque of Alexander's union service years 1971-1992.
"Brass won't spark and there's not going to be any flame leaving the glass," said Alexander.
He explained each miner had a lamp to work by and avoided methane gases in the mine as even an electric drill mis-sparking could trigger an explosion.
When titan sized mining machinery broke down, Alexander and other mechanics tore it apart, using cranes to install the larger parts.
"Those shovels are built sturdy, but so is 250 tonne of rock," said Alexander. "Beating away at a wall they didn't get around to blasting properly, it's going to give."
From 45 cubic yard hydraulic shovels and 250 tonne haul trucks to caterpillar earth movers and mobile drills, Alexander fixed everything as a heavy duty mechanic at the Cardinal River mine.
"Mining is its own thing with repairs," said Alexander.
Working with a shovel and then as a mechanic up to as maintenance planner, Alexander never tried to work on any union politics.
However, in his opinion, Walter Bish was the best manager the mines ever had.
His son Brent Bish will tell a story or two about how the union advanced the workers over the years.
"There were some pretty tense strikes, in '74 guys were at the pickets with baseball bats, whips and chains," said Bish.
As mine general manager during the early 70s Walter was involved in negotiations, and had worker's best interests in mind.
"He was always there for the men and it broke his heart when some of them figured they had been cheated on the contract," said Bish.
It is a fine balance between efficiency of company time and money and caring for the workers and their families with collective agreements regarding benefits and respecting employment standards.
"There hasn't been a strike here since 1981, as most people have pride in their jobs and do a good job wanting to be recognized for it," said Bish.
Mining runs deep in Bish's family coal veins. When they came up from the United States in 1905 to stake a claim on the land that came with the mineral rights.
With eight relatives in mining, Bish tradition continues since Brent's grandfather struck pick to rock. After a few years mining, Bish's son went to engineering school.
"There's a lot of people making a living down there and it's a different way of life on the coal branch," said Alexander.
With Coalspur's plans to break ground in 2012 for construction for a new mine the region will continue to have new stories to tell of coal mining at future reunions.
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