Mar 28, 2024 By Mike Jones 4 min read

The owner of Cumberland Mine is threatening to close the coal mining operation in Greene County, which union officials said would cost about 700 people their jobs.

Iron Senergy, which purchased the mine in late 2020, apparently notified the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration this week of its plans to shutter the facility, although it has given no formal notification to its workers about potential layoffs.

According to United Mine Workers of America International President Cecil Roberts, the union only learned about the possible closure Wednesday after receiving a copy of the plan submitted to MSHA.

“The company did not communicate with us in advance regarding this plan, and in fact, is still refusing to talk to us about it at all,” Roberts said in a written statement Thursday.

Roberts said all underground workers were sent home on March 19 “with no notice or any indication of when they may be returning to work” at the mine. The mine employs about 550 union workers and about 700 people total, Roberts said. Over the past week, workers and union officials have received no explanation about why the company idled operations, and Roberts said ownership is refusing to meet with UMWA leaders to discuss the situation.

In addition, the company has not notified its employees of impending mass layoffs as required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Roberts said they’re baffled by the situation, considering Cumberland Mine’s production history and revenue.

“This is a highly productive mine, with current long-term customers and significant reserves. It is making money and is not in any apparent financial distress,” Roberts said. “To abruptly put all those jobs at risk and not offer any explanation whatsoever is a slap in the face to every person in those communities. This is not how any employer should treat its workers and their families.”

Officials with Iron Senergy did not respond to an email Thursday seeking comment on its plans for Cumberland Mine.

Greene County Commissioner Blair Zimmerman, who is a retired coal miner and worked at Cumberland for about a decade, said he and other county officials were blindsided by the news of the possible closure.

“We haven’t heard anything official,” said Zimmerman, who has been in touch with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office. “My initial thoughts were it was a threat. Now I’m not so sure. That would be devastating to the county.”

The lack of information is also concerning to fellow Commissioner Betsy Rohanna McClure, who said they are now in “fact-finding mode” trying to figure out what is happening.

“We’ve had no formal notification except what we’ve seen on Facebook,” Rohanna McClure said of various social media posts discussing the closure. “The Iron Senergy mine is very important to Greene County. At this point in time, I don’t know a lot.”

Both county and union officials said the closure would have a ripple effect on numerous other jobs tied to the coal mining industry.

“The mine is extremely important to our community and to families,” Rohanna McClure said. “That’s a lot of jobs. That’s a lot of family-sustaining jobs.”

If the closure does occur, it would be another economic blow to Greene County, which has seen several coal mines close in recent years. Alpha Natural Resources closed the Emerald Mine near Waynesburg in 2015, and Dana Mining shuttered its 4 West Mine near Mt. Morris in 2018. The loss of Cumberland Mine would leave Consol’s Bailey complex as the last remaining coal operation left in the county.

Union officials are now in touch with state and federal leaders about the situation, although it’s not clear how much can be done if the company is determined to close the mine.

“The UMWA is prepared to work with management to find ways to keep this mine open and continue its essential economic contribution to Greene County and surrounding communities,” Roberts said. “We must be about the business of maintaining these jobs for our members, their families, and their communities. All we need is some indication from management that it is interested in those things as well.”

Iron Senergy, which is based in Kentucky, agreed to purchase Cumberland Mine from Contura Energy Inc. in November 2020.