Put an end to the smear, focus on a solution

The smear campaign aimed at Zanetti Brothers has become ridiculous. Herb and Joe Zanetti are responsible for managing a business that provides support for a significant number of families in the Silver Valley, and the ongoing labor dispute at the Lucky Friday has had a negative impact on that business. What reasonable person could be expected to refuse to accept an opportunity to offset that to some degree?

Avista continues to provide service to the mine; without this service the limited production which is underway could not occur – where is the protest over this. Other vendors supply necessary goods and services – fuel, explosives, and other consumables. Why is this not being protested?

The current impasse in Lucky Friday negotiations is deeply disappointing, and a source of concern to everyone in the Silver Valley, but the only parties who can clear the roadblocks to progress are the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) and Hecla Mining. Continued smearing of third parties who are helpless to affect the impasse, are useless at best, and are likely to serve to erode community sympathy and support for the USWA position if continued. I believe it is best to put an end to this ugly smear campaign and focus on the benefits of a compromise that puts the Lucky Friday back to work.

In the meantime, I support Herb and Joe Zanetti, the Zanetti Brothers employees, and their right to work.

John Jordan,

Kellogg, Idaho