Union leaders, DFL officials, and environmental groups are upset after two well-known advocates were quoted with some disdainful comments about miners in a piece to be published in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine.
Becky Rom and Reid Carron are leaders in the Save the Boundary Waters Campaign. They are quoted by many news media about the issue of potential precious metals mining in the region.
In the latest article, written by Reid Forgrave for the New York Times Magazine, they comment on the mining community. Rom said, “Danny Forsman drives to the mine in his truck, comes home and watches TV, and doesn’t know this world exists.”
Carron said, “They just want somebody to just give them a job so they can all drink beer with their buddies and go four-wheeling and snowmobiling with their buddies, not having to think about anything except punching a clock.”
Those comments were met with disgust by the political director of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49, Minnesota’s largest construction union. Jason George wrote, “There is a war on American workers in this country. Enough is enough. The disdain for Minnesota workers, and the belittlement of highly skilled work exhibited by environmental activists and low wage conservatives alike must be rejected by a majority of us.”
The couple has since apologized for the comments. In a statement made to Eyewitness News, Reid Carron and Becky Rom of Ely said: The New York Times Magazine article about the conflict over proposed copper mines near the Boundary Waters quotes a statement by Reid regarding the mindset of what he called the “pro-mining crowd.” The statement was disrespectful and untrue.”
For the rest of this article: http://www.wdio.com/TWIM/mining-boundary-waters-becky-rom-nyt-article/4634176/