UMWA reaches agreement with PinnOak Resources on new 5-year agreement

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) announced today that it has reached a new five-year agreement with PinnOak Resources covering some 1,500 active and retired coal miners n West Virginia and Alabama. The agreement mirrors the gains the union has won in agreements with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association (BCOA), Jim Walter Resources and Peabody Energy, among others.
 
“The agreement with PinnOak provides the same wage increases, bonus, pension improvements and improvements in health care and other benefits that other UMWA coal miners have won so far this year,” UMWA International President Cecil E. Roberts said. “We’re pleased PinnOak miners have won this agreement.”
 
As in the BCOA agreement, UMWA members will receive an immediate $1.50 per hour increase and a total $4.00 per hour increase over the life of the agreement. PinnOak has agreed to pay the initial increase retroactively to Jan. 1, the date the previous contract expired.
 
UMWA miners at PinnOak will also receive the $1,000 bonus negotiated in the BCOA contract, as well as pension improvements, maintenance of current health care benefits for active and retired members with no changes and other insurance improvements.
 
PinnOak operates two mines: the Pinnacle mine in Wyoming County, W. Va., employs over 400 miners and the Oak Grove mine in Adger, Ala.. employs about 340 miners.