Just received is the 2008 Survey Results U.S. Coal Mine Salaries, Wages and Benefits from CostMine. There is an enormous amount of data in this new survey. Here is my personal summary and perspective of some of the information on wages…..in future postings I will write about salaries and executive compensation.
Of the 54 coal mines responding to the survey, 39 union and 9 non-union mines reported increases in wages ranging from 1% to 15% in the 12 months preceding the survey. Six mines reported no change in wages. None reported a decrease. Thirty-three of the 54 mines have some sort of incentive bonus plan.
Overall, the survey shows that miners at small surface mines make considerbly less than their counterparts at large surface mines. The difference is small in the case of underground mines. Employees at large mines are more likely to benefit from retirement plans, more vacation, and holiday time-off.
The average cost of benefits to hourly-paid employees is 48.83% of wages. There is a distinct difference, however, between union mines at 51.23% and non-union mines at 40.88%.
Here are some of those wages, the following being the “Benchmark Hourly Base Wage Averages.” The first number is for surface mines; the second number is for underground mines:
- Electrician: = $25.63/23.55
- Mechanic = $24.95/23.03
- Helper = $21.96/22.03
- Laborer = $20.79/21.54
I never could understand why electricians and mechanics at surface mines earn more than their counterparts at underground mines. But this trend is true also for metal mines. Has this something to do with the unions?
Now let us look at these same categories, but this time compare wages for small (the first number) and large (the second number) mines:
- Electrician: = $24.06/25.80
- Mechanic = $21.97/25.9
- Helper = $15.75/22.61
- Laborer = $18.58/21.49
Clearly it does not pay to be a helper or laborer at a small mine. Are they being underpaid? To see if the pay of a laborer is dependent on location, take a look at these numbers. They are averages wages for laborers by region of the country. The first number is for surface mines, and the second number is for underground mines.
- Eastern = $19.14/21.60
- Central = $18.3/21.58
- Southwestern =$22.08/21.07
- Northwestern – $23.14/No data
Clearly you want to go labor in the southwest or better still the northeast. Personally I would prefer to live in the southwest even for a lesser wage.
There is much more data in the report about wages by additional job categories, regions, mines, benefits, and the influence of union versus non-unions. You will simply have to buy the report or get your work group or union to get a copy to get all the details. The only caveat: it is impossible for everybody to earn above average.
Sorry, there is one group that earns above average. Here are some numbers for executive compensation — the following are average annual salaries, not counting bonus, stock awards, options, and other incentives. :
- Chairman = $610,100
- CEO = $558,900
- President =$470,00
- Vice President = $267,600
- CFO = $294,600
- COO = $244,200
Good thing most don’t need a federal bail out; they would have to take a pay cut.
i would really like to know what all these m…..f……. do to earn a wage like that that is bull.I have been in mining for 6yrs and all those paper pushin pansies do is get in the way with all their bright ideas on how to do something. All those assholes do is make the job harder.With the economy being as it is i can look at that pay role and save the company over a million bucks,cut out the chair man and CEO and give the Presedent and VP a 50,0000 raise each job done
Hey Scott, you only have a job because of us paper pushers.
Your grammar (or lack there of) explains exactly why you are being sent underground to mine the stuff that we located, explained to you how to take it out and then sold to the market so you can get a few bucks to take home for a lackluster job done. Don’t bite the hand that feeds ya…….or I will have you fired.
Scott, when you’ve accumulated 30+ years and sacrificed time and no small fortune to complete your Masters in Management, due to your selfless commitment to the success mining industry only to find yourself on a bulldozer to pay the bills, then you may have something to complain about.
Well I think even the laborers get payed nicly….every one can’t be the head man. If so, then who will do the job, because the head don’t do it. We all want to be the top man one day, I know I do!
But if some one can help me…I would love to get into the mining industry. What do I need to do to get started in mining? Im out of a job right now and could really use one. My email is johnsonzlife@yahoo.com pleas give feed back if some one have a opening for a new miner. Just put the subject Mining Job
Thank!