The 33 Chilean miners trapped underground may not be paid for months while rescuers try to reach them, leaving their families above with no income.
The San Esteban mining company that operates the facility has said it has no money to pay wages and is not even participating in the rescue.
It has suggested it may go bankrupt and its licence has been suspended by the government.
Evelyn Olmos, leader of the mining union, called on Chile's government to pay the workers' wages starting next month.
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But Chile's Mining Minister Laurence Golborne said the government was prevented from paying the miners' salaries or pensions by the country's labour laws. Instead, they would offer the miners training to find other jobs when they come out.
He said it was up to the company to pay them and the issue would have to be worked out in the courts.
The courts? The wheels of justice grind slowly. And in the meantime? The miners set the world's record for being trapped underground, and who knows when they will be rescued, and all the government of Chile can offer them is job training when they get out? What about an emergency session of the Chile's legislative body to pass a law, which the president could quickly sign, to allow the government to pay the miners' salaries and severances?
The trapped miners face enough challenges without the added burden of worrying that their families will have no income.
Thanks to Paul (A.) for sending the link to the story.
