A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice issued this week by the company cited “current adverse market conditions” for the decision.
The layoffs will begin October 11 “or within the 14-day period beginning on that date,” the notice said.
The Coal River Mining operations that will close on that date include the entire Fork Creek Mine 3 in Alum Creek; the entire Fork Creek Mine 10 in Alum Creek; the entire Surface Mine 67 in Alum Creek; the entire Surface Mine 9 in Julian; and the company’s administrative office in Alum Creek for surveyors and other support personnel.
Coal River Mining’s underground Fork Creek No. 1 mine, which are already idled, will also be impacted by workforce reductions.
Finally, Coal River Processing plans to idle its entire plant, warehouse and administrative support office in Alum Creek.
“Despite having issued the WARN notice, we will continue to try and find a market for our coal—in hope that we can avoid some or all of the workforce reductions and the idling of some of our operations,” Coal River Managing Member Jim Bunn II said in a statement.
“We cannot change all of the various issues that affect our industry, but we can focus on our personal safety and the safety of our co-workers.”
