Mining company clarifies layoff notice

HARLAN/LETCHER COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - UPDATE - 6/13/23

Officials with the Kentucky Career Center Office of Employer & Apprenticeship Services say 258 employees of INMET Mining will be laid off between June 2 and 17, but officials with INMET Mining LLC say, to date, no employees have been laid off and hope to extend the date of previously issued WARN notices.

The WARN notices were issued last week. INMET Mining LLC Chief Restructuring Officer Jeff Strobel says the company is continuing to work to avoid layoffs and hopes to extend the date of the previously issued notices.

“To date, Inmet has not laid any employees off and continues to operate as it proceeds through the Chapter 11 [bankruptcy] process,” said INMET Mining LLC Chief Restructuring Officer Jeff Strobel. “In the Chapter 11 process, Black Mountain Marketing and Sales (BMMS) has submitted a stalking horse bid to acquire the INMET assets and provides for BMMS to offer employment to INMET employees. INMET continues to work to avoid layoffs and is hopeful that in the near future, it may be able to extend the date of previously issued WARN notices.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

In a letter to the state, INMET Mining LLC said that operations at six mines will “begin to idle.”

The letter states that the mass layoff is due to a lack of funding to continue operating the mines.

The layoff affects employees of the mines located at 1562 Cloverlick Road and 1565 Cloverlick Road in Cumberland, 22481 KY Hwy. 38 and 22851 KY Hwy. 38 in Closplint, 25861 KY Hwy. 38 in Holmes Mill and 890 Hwy. 3494 Colliers Creek Road in Partridge.

Earlier this week, I received a WARN Notice regarding Inmet likely having to cease operations in Harlan County and in turn possibly laying off employees over the next couple of weeks. The notice I received stated Inmet was unable to obtain necessary financing to continue. After speaking with some folks in the coal industry throughout the region and state after I received this notice, I have reason to hope this will be a temporary layoff, if there is even a layoff. It may be more of a transition than a layoff. The coal market is strong right now and the price of coal is good. There is a lot of coal being bought and sold both domestic and internationally. If Inmet is not going to continue operating in Harlan County, I’m confident that some company will acquire these assets and keep people working.

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