European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine mining mushrooms underground jobs help Economy in Pennsylvania town by Catherine dressier associated press he search or jobs often ends underground in i he Small Western Pennsylvania town of Worthington where workers who once manned Assembly lines now pick mushrooms in 1he dark caverns of a Limestone mine. At least we have one Industry Tell in our area that pays a Hall decent  says Ray Denny 50. Of nearby Fenellos. A pays enough that we can get  with More than 970 workers the Moonlight mushrooms inc. Mine is the largest private employer in Armstrong county Aboul 50 mites Northeast of Pittsburgh where the continuing shutdown of steel Mills and factories has hit hard Trie county unemployment rate was 11.4 percent in february double the nation s jobless rate of 5,7 percent that month. Any time there s any opening in this area that pays $5 or More thai employer almost always is overwhelmed by the number of people applying says Terri Kinney a supervisor at the Sale unemployment office in nearby Kittanning. The mushroom mine once one of several big employers in i hearer has become the mainstay. Major shareholders members of founder John Voder s family said in april they wanted to sell the mine and Moonlight in Early june announced it had agreed to sell out to a new York holding company Prospect group corp. If the Sale goes i rough there not going to be any disruption in the Way the business is being run says Fred Benhill Moonlight s group manager of administration. One of the problems facing the operation is foreign Competition. In the mid-1980s, cheap mushrooms from China Taiwan Korea and Europe dried up much of the processed mushroom Market those with an imperfect appearance used in soups gravies and other processed foods. Randy Zema pm Cut mushrooms in the dark Moonlight mushrooms Lite mine in Fenelton a. That forced Many american mushroom Farmers to adjust their crops for the More competitive fresh Market the Large White unblemished variety found in grocery stores. The Price of mushrooms has l gone up much in the past 10 years and we re trying to maintain our people Wilh higher production and maintenance costs says Francis chug Giesler Moonlight s materials purchasing manager. Through research Moonlight has developed More efficient ways to grow mushrooms and sales of $40 million were reported in fiscal 1987, Bennalt says. The mine s 625 pickers make $7.15 an hour plus bonuses for harvesting More than 30 pounds an hour. The average worker picks 62 pounds an hour and gets a Bonus of $1 per hour says Nancy la mors Moonlight s human resources manager there s nothing in the Community that s As  Denny says. You can leave and take a minimum wage lob by that s about All you can  Denny a Moonlight employee Lor 31 years directs a Crew of 15 pickers Asil moves through uie labyrinth of Rocky corridors big enough for a fire truck to pass through. In the mine As much As 360 Leet underground conditions Are perfect for mushrooms year round it s always Damp and about 60 degrees. Mushrooms require no Sunshine. Large cavernous growing areas a Small portion of the 150 Miles of Tunnel Are i Only by Small while lights on the pickers hats tools of the Trade along Wilh rubber gloves and Small a moves. Mushrooms grow so fast they double in size in a Day. So picking starts at 7  every Day and continues until the work is done seven to 10 hours later. Lahmers says there s Days you Don t Evan gel to see Daylight at Alt says picker Randy Zema. 23, of Fenelton. You go Down in the dark and come up in the dark mushrooms Are grown in Rich compost in Large wooden monday june 20, 1988 trays placed on tables Wilh one tray at ankle level another Aboul Waist level. Workers water the crops Wilh Long hoses. As Zema works his hands move quickly slicing stems grabbing and dropping top Quality mushrooms into one Basket and imperfect ones into another. The Large White mushrooms gleam Lihe pearls when Light strikes them. Good mushrooms Are soil and Nice picking but bad ones Are Tough and hard to grab hold of Zema says. It s tiresome work says Tom Parisi 34, of Templeton it s hard on your legs and you re bending All Day. You stoop a  workers Don t Laik much while hey pick and Soli music piped in around growing areas penetrates Tho stillness. Pickers ride to and from the mine in electric Carls and head for a brightly lit Oasis to eat. An underground lunchroom with vending machines. Visitors from above frequently Are asked. What s the Walher like Many pickers have a spouse Parent or child working beside them. Zema s Grandfather began working at the mine in 1937 and his Mother has worked her Way irom picker to assistant manager. Zema and Parisi had worked in nearby butter at the Pullman Standard Boxcar Plant which closed in 1982, idling 2.boo workers. I made a few dollars More in there than what i am  says Zema who painted Railroad cars for Pullman. I miss the whole Job period " like Many pickers Marge Lasher 34. Of Ford City says Competition from foreign imports Ted to the demise of her former Job. She was Laid Oil irom her Assembly line Job at a garment factory. In july 1985, the mushroom company closed its nearby 200-acre West Winfield mine. Whee it began operations a half Century ago. The 250 workers who were Laid off eventually were hired Al the current mine bought in 1961 alter being abandoned by us corp Lahmers said the stars and stripes Page 13