My Facebook is blowing up with news of friends and family who are losing their jobs, and of course Obama is to blame. It’s a tough time for the families involved. I don’t see anything about this here, so here are a few links...
Alpha Natural Resources is asking a bankruptcy judge for permission to cancel certain labor union agreements and to cut retiree benefits.
In documents filed Monday, Alpha writes that it needs to cut costs, including labor costs. The company warns that if it can't, it will have to idle its less efficient mines and maybe even liquidate its assets. Alpha reasons that would be bad for everyone, including the workers who would be affected by the cuts the company is proposing.
Alpha pointed to similar requests from two other bankrupt coal companies, Patriot Coal and Walter Energy, as evidence that the scale of union obligations is too great.
Alpha Tries To Cut Worker Benefits & Cancel Union Agreements
Both Peabody Energy and Arch Coal announced Thursday they were cutting 15 percent from North Antelope Rochelle and Black Thunder Mines. The totals amounted to more than 460 jobs in northeast Wyoming.
Northeast Wyoming reels from coal mining layoffs
2 Wyoming coal mines layoff over 200 workers
Wyoming miners, after mass coal layoffs, wonder where the next paycheck will come from