Pineville Mine Idled to Reopen with 120 Fewer Workers

A Wyoming County mine that was idled on Monday after a contract dispute is back in business.

WVVA-TV reports David Jackson with the United Mine Workers says Pinnacle Mine employees were told at a meeting Wednesday that the mine would reopen on Thursday, but with 120 fewer workers.

He says the decision was made in part because the United Mine Workers wouldn’t agree to a reduction in benefits guaranteed by their contract.

Because the mine’s parent company Seneca Coal Resources can’t break the contract guaranteed through 2017, Jackson says the staff is reducing their workforce instead.

Seneca acquired the Pinnacle Mine from Cliffs Natural Resources in December 2015. At that time, the mine had laid off hundreds of miners, many of whom were brought back in February.