Australian miners are fired for performing 'Harlem Shake' video

Up to 15 miners in Australia have been fired from their high-paying jobs after filming a “Harlem Shake” video underground. According to Witty Sparks, the workers were part of an overnight crew working at the Agnew Mine in Western Australia owned by South African miner Gold Fields Ltd. Like thousands of others, the miners posted their video on YouTube. It shows eight miners wearing safety gear, some wielding tools and shirtless, doing the convulsive dance. A dismissal letter obtained by the West Australian newspaper said mine owner Barminco considered the stunt a safety issue. Barminco did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday (March 4, 2013). He made the decision to fire 15 workers, including some who watched the performance but did not participate, in a second incident of the Internet dance craze sparking safety concerns. Australia is experiencing a mining boom, with thousands of workers attracted by high salaries to remote Outback mines. The West Australian said the miners who lost their jobs had six-figure salaries.