Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 2, 1993 TAG: 9302020224
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
UMW STRIKES AT PEABODY MINES
The United Mine Workers went on strike early today against subsidiaries of the nation's largest coal producer, which operates in nine states.The walkout by up to 7,000 miners began at midnight against mining subsidiaries of Peabody Holding Co. of St. Louis, the union said. The strike was to include Eastern Associated Coal Corp. of Charleston, W.Va., the union said.
Peabody Coal operates 12 surface and 17 underground mines in West Virginia, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Ohio and Oklahoma. It wasn't immediately clear which mines would be affected.
The company has no operations in Virginia. Peabody Holding reported sales of $1.8 billion in fiscal 1992, down from $1.96 billion a year earlier.
Peabody produced 9 percent of the coal mined in the United States in 1989, the latest year for which figures are available. It produced 87 million tons in 1989 and had reserves of 8.7 billion tons that year.
UMW President Richard Trumka said Peabody and other affiliates of the Bituminous Coal Operators Association "have refused to respond to even the most simple information requests" since talks began Nov. 6.
"We are informing our members that, at this time, our strike is limited only to Peabody," Trumka said. "If, when and how this strike expands depends entirely on whether the BCOA companies are prepared to bargain."
Spokesmen for the Bituminous Coal Operators Association were not available to comment.
The industry agreement, negotiated in 1988, covers more than 60,000 miners.
In addition, the contract affects the pension benefits of about 150,000 retired miners.
Also Monday, the union representing the nation's 40,000 oil-industry workers reached a tentative labor agreement with Amoco. The pact is expected to set a pattern for 300 other companies.