IMPROVING COAL-MINE PRODUCTIVITY

Between 1950 and 1969, productivity in underground coal mines improved every year, keeping pace with inflation so that the cost of production was relatively constant. This trend was abruptly reversed in 1970 when the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 (PL 91-173) became effective. Tons per man shift have dropped from 15. 61 in 1969 to 11. 31 in 1974, a decrease of 28 percent. The 1976 level of 8. 5 tons per man day, a drop of 46 percent from the 1969 level, is almost the same as the 1955 record of 8. 28. Had the 1959 to 1969 trend continued through 1976, tons per man would have been 19. 2 last year. The deficiency of 10. 7 tons per man day is the true loss in productivity. This is a decrease of 56 percent. Declining productivity has greatly increased the cost of electric power and of of every product or service which uses power generated by burning coal. The author examines the causes for the drop and whether it will continue concluding with what can be done to reverse the trend.