Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was blasted by a Kentucky coal miner Thursday for his silence on his mine’s sudden bankruptcy, which has left 400 workers without a month’s worth of pay.
Coal miner Collin Cornette, one of the miners who are blocking railroad tracks to protest their unpaid labor, was asked by The Hill if they had support from the government since BlackJewel LLC declared bankruptcy.
He said their local judge has been providing them support, but when he was questioned on what he thought Mr. McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, would do, he flatly answered: “Probably nothing.”
“Washington’s probably not going to do nothing about this,” he said. “Whenever you call McConnell’s office he can’t talk to you. … To my knowledge, he has not even made a statement. He’s not pro-coal, I don’t even think he’s pro-Kentucky.”
Mr. Cornette said the last time Mr. McConnell was in Harlan County was during the 2014 election and “the next time he will be back is the next election” in 2020.
In a statement provided to The Washington Times, Mr. McConnell said Blackjewel was “shameful and outrageous” and called for the miners to receive their wages.
“The way Blackjewel has treated these miners in Harlan County is shameful and outrageous. These miners need to be paid in full for their work. Blackjewel may be in violation of state law, and I commend Gov. Bevin for opening an investigation into the situation,” he said. “Bottom line – the miners need to be made whole, and the company needs to be held accountable for its horrific mismanagement.”
The Kentucky miners have been camping out on railroad tracks, blocking a train filled with coal they mined without compensation from leaving the mine near Cumberland, Ky.
Mr. Cornette threatening they will “stay until we get paid,” adding they are still being retained as employees in the unfolding bankruptcy, leaving them unable to collect unemployment benefits.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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