SHERIDAN, Wyo. — According to the Billings Gazette, twelve railroad employees in the Sheridan area are not working because of a loss of business at Decker Coal Co., said Gus Melonas, spokesman of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.
Decker Coal is just across the Montana border north of Sheridan. Railroad workers receive a partial wage when not working, Melonas said.
“Those 12 employees have various options,” he said.
Among the options are accepting other positions in the area that may open, or moving, he said.
“There could be a shift in coal business to other mines, and there could also be an increase in other types of traffic, such as general freight,” Melonas said.
Union officials at Decker Coal told The Sheridan Press last month that Decker was losing a substantial amount of business with two Upper Midwest utilities.
Steve Feagins, president of United Mine Workers of America Local 1972, said Decker is reducing its work force by about 50 hourly workers and an undisclosed number of salaried employees.