The fight for Coal Miners’ Day has also gone high-tech; supporters are going to www.minersday.org to sign an online petition for a day to honor West Virginia’s mine workers, local new station WBOY said. The petition has already surpassed 6000 signatures.

While the push to create the special day isn’t a recent one, state delegate Linda Longstreth wants to bring it to the attention to the state legislature, especially in light of the mining accidents at Sago and Aracoma in January.

Longstreth, according to the news station, said the day would be for all workers – current, retired, those hurt in mining accidents – and it is meant to be a “day of appreciation, of remembrance for all miners”

The day would not be made a state holiday, WBOY said.

Sixteen miners have lost their lives in US coal mining accidents so far in 2006, 14 of which were in West Virginia. There were a record low of 22 deaths nationwide in 2005.