Dole not Coal
FOR the 590 miners who lost their jobs when Scottish Coal collapsed last month, there is a lot at stake this week. Liquidator KPMG looks likely to announce what will happen to the company’s portfolio of six opencast coal mines in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Fife, 11 former mines and several other sites with permissions to start digging.
See http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/dole-not-coal.20984854.
Daw Mill colliery operators UK Coal on brink of administration
URGENT talks have been held after it was revealed that the owners of Daw Mill colliery are on the brink of administration. Six hundred miners at the colliery were put out of work earlier this year when a huge blaze hit the mine – but now redundancy packages could be in doubt as owners UK Coal look at restructuring plans.
See http://www.thisistamworth.co.uk/Daw-colliery-operators-UK-Coal%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-brink/story-18869135-detail/story.html#axzz2S8f44nD8.
UK Coal still in talks to save up to 2,000 jobs
UK Coal, Britain’s largest coal miner, yesterday confirmed that it was still in talks with creditors to stay solvent and save up to 2,000 jobs. The company warned in February that a fire at its largest mine, Daw Mill, could harm the viability of the whole company unless it received outside help from Government or creditors. According to a report in The Sunday Times yesterday, bosses at UK Coal are in talks with HM Revenue & Customs over a £2m tax bill.
See http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/business-news/uk-coal-still-in-talks-to-save-up-to-2-000-jobs-1-5649601?.
Miners’ chief wants action after UK Coal escapes fine
A MINERS’ union chief is demanding action after a mining company avoided a fine following a prosecution for the death of one of its employees. Jeff Wood, president of the Mansfield-based Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM), feels the Health and Safety Executive has let miner John Harbron and his family down. UK Coal Operations Ltd was found guilty of failing to ensure an employee’s welfare after Mr Harbron was killed when 40 steel pipes he was unloading from a rail car at Thoresby Colliery fell on him in July 2009.
See http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/miners-chief-wants-action-after-uk-coal-escapes-fine-1-5635383.