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Laid Off Miners File Lawsuit Over Pay

Five eastern Kentucky miners who were laid off have filed a lawsuit claiming a Tennessee coal company and two subsidiaries are refusing to pay them according to a signed agreement. The suit says the employees signed a "loyalty reward plan" that offered early payment of deferred compensation for layoffs or closings and the companies haven't provided the payments.

WHITESBURG, Ky. (AP) -- Five eastern Kentucky miners who were laid off have filed a lawsuit claiming a Tennessee coal company and two subsidiaries are refusing to pay them according to a signed agreement.

The Mountain Eagle (http://bit.ly/WRcQS4) reports the miners filed suit in Letcher Circuit Court against Blountville, Tenn.-based United Coal Company, and its subsidiaries — Whitesburg, Ky.-based Sapphire Coal and Big Rock, Va.-based Wellmore Coal.

The suit says the employees signed a "loyalty reward plan" that offered early payment of deferred compensation for layoffs or closings and the companies haven't provided the payments.

A message at United Coal's office on Wednesday says it will reopen on Jan. 2. The newspaper says the company has 30 days from Dec. 13, which is when the suit was filed, to respond.

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