In order to stay afloat financially, Patriot Coal Corporation files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, which includes a plan to cut a significant amount of retiree benefits for the employees of the company.
“(Reuters) – Patriot Coal Corp has asked a court to terminate about $1.6 billion in retiree health benefits for thousands of its unionized U.S. mine workers as part of its plan to survive Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a court filing showed.
Patriot said United Mine Workers of America’s (UMWA’s) labor costs are not competitive with other coal producers that operate ‘under more flexible work rules and a significantly lower labor cost structure.'”