Coal Unions Grew Too Weak

The recent coal mine disaster does bring forth the question - are the coal unions too weak to negotiate safer and better working conditions for the miners ?

Slate's Jenny Rogers explains, "The real obstacles to safety is that the miners no longer have a powerful union sticking up for them." But no longer. "Although mining in the United States is safer now than it was in past decades, that's the case because organized mine workers pushed hard for reforms a generation ago - reforms that are still in effect Whether that are enough is now in question."

BUT QUESTION COMES TO MIND, WHAT ROLE DOES "OSHA" PLAY IN MINE SAFETY FOR THE MINERS ? ISN'T MINE SAFETY UNDER OSHA's JURISDICTION ? IF SO, WHY THE SAFETY REGIMENS NOT STRICTLY IMPLEMENTED ? WHY SHOULD THE SAFETY OF MINERS BE A NEGOTIATED ARRANGEMENT ?....  (I am hoping some one can help me get some sense of the problem relative to the safety of the miners. Thanks.)

Source: The Atlantic Wire.