Associated Press Published

Suit: CONSOL Ended Retired Nonunion Miner's Health Benefits

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Roughly 2,000 nonunion retired miners are seeking a class action lawsuit against CONSOL Energy Corp., saying the company wrongfully ended their health benefits.

The Register-Herald reports Charleston-based law firm Mountain State Justice filed paperwork in federal court in West Virginia last month on behalf of the miners.

Attorney Sam Petsonk says CONSOL verbally promised to provide lifetime benefit plans that were withheld or terminated by the company at the end of 2015.

Petsonk says the miners accepted the company’s promises and therefore, declined joining a union.

Petsonk says they want CONSOL to restore the full $2,500 per year per retiree in health spending accounts.

He says although the promise was verbal, enforcing it does fall under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

CONSOL doesn’t comment on pending litigation.