More than 500 miners in southern West Virginia will lose their jobs beginning April 14, delivering what many describe as a heavy blow to the region’s coal communities, including Billy Dickerson.
“As I walked through the parking lot, kind of felt the gut punch,” Dickerson said. “Well living in Logan County, coal’s king.”
Greenbrier Minerals LLC, a subsidiary of Coronado Global Resources, filed a WARN notice Friday announcing plans to idle seven mining operations in Logan and Wyoming counties. The company cited “adverse market conditions” as the reason for the layoffs affecting 530 workers.
The company gave the same reason last summer when it cut 61 jobs at the Toney Creek Surface Mine in Lorado.
Dickerson said the ripple effects will stretch far beyond the mines themselves.
“Not counting the ancillary jobs that are affected when you look at everything from fuel sales to the coal company to uniform, rental convenience stores where the miners may stop,” Dickerson said.
The announcement came a day after Donald Trump introduced plans to invest millions into three coal-fired power plants in West Virginia. Those plants rely on thermal coal, while the idled mines produce metallurgical coal.
Dickerson warned that the drop in coal severance tax revenue, combined with lost wages for families, could create financial strain across the state.
“We’re very dependent upon coal severance,” Dickerson said. “With this further reduction, it’s gonna put some financial strain on everyone and that strain will be felt at different levels throughout the state.”
State Sen. Rupie Phillips said he is praying for relief for miners and their families.
“I hope, I’ll be praying that something breaks loose for the industry,” Phillips said. “Hopefully nobody gets laid off because you just had Mettiki do that WARN notice up in the Mount Storm area. It’s just scary times. I mean, it’s just tough.”