Strange development, especially since it means deep mines. Given the mechanization of deep soft-coal mining (http://www.umwa.org/mining/lwmine.shtml ), I’ll bet that eventually immigrants from Mexico take these jobs as step up the ladder in America, just as many Slavic immigrants did about 100 years ago.
I am a degreed professional and have been out of my line of work, earning 50% of what my profession pays, for four years. If I weren't almost 40, I would be on a plane to the mines right now.
I voted for Bush and just have again (absentee), but this economy is still not where it should be. Why else would I contemplate taking a labor job over one at a desk?