PHILIPPI, W.Va (WDTV) – Hundreds of miners are without jobs in Barbour County after Core Natural Resources announced layoffs at Leer South Mine.
On Friday, February 21, a now former employee at Leer South Mine in Barbour County received the news regarding these layoffs.
“They told me that I was permanently laid off,” said the former employee who would like to remain anonymous.
In January 2025, the mine was temporarily sealed after a combustion related event set off underground fires within the mine.
Since then, employees had reentered the mine and were back to work, until unexpected layoffs began happening.
“There was no rhyme or reason to who they picked. They also fired one of the ex-general managers … department heads.”
According to section 2101 of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, “An employer shall not order a plant closing or mass layoff until the end of a 60-day period after the employer serves written notice of such an order.”
The former employee we spoke to says no notice was given, and that legal action may be taken.
“They want to pursue … you know see about the WARN Act which is a state law in West Virginia but a lot of them are afraid of backlash from other coal companies and stuff like that if we go through with it.”
PRIOR COVERAGE:
Core provides update on Barbour County mine after fire in January
Copyright 2025 WDTV. All rights reserved.