Analyses by the Associated Press and the Charleston Gazette revealed that there was a 1300-job reduction in the June quarter, or a slip of 5%, to about 23,300 miners.
Conversely, employment remains steady with figures tallied four years ago during the last US presidential transition.
Additionally, the reports said, West Virginia’s totals were up about 1800 jobs since the US Environmental Protection Agency advanced its efforts to clamp down on mountaintop removal mines.
It seems no week has gone by without an announcement of a layoff or production cutback, from 750 Arch Coal workers furloughed in West Virginia and Kentucky in June to Consol Energy’s confirmation in July that it would send 300 workers from its Fola complex to the unemployment line.
Early last month, Peabody Energy Appalachia-focused spin-off company Patriot Coal announced it would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is the first producer to make such a move since coal prices in North America began a downward spiral.
Three weeks ago a WorkForce West Virginia report revealed West Virginia’s unemployment in June rose 7% as a result of the closures and layoffs.
According to West Virginia’s WVNS, joblessness increased in 23 counties and remained unchanged in seven others during the month.
Joblessness reportedly fell, however, in 25 WV counties.
