Riverview Coal furloughs hundreds of employees

UNION Co., IL. (WFIE) - Hundreds of employees have been furloughed at Riverview Coal.

Their parent company, Alliance Resource Partners, announced Wednesday that they are temporarily ceasing coal production at all of its Illinois basin mines.

This includes River View Coal near Uniontown.

The lay-offs are expected to last a minimum of two weeks. Alliance says the furlough comes after a lowered demand for energy worldwide, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

We spoke to a miner who was one of those laid off.

“Just the uncertainty of it, not knowing how long you’re gonna be off or when your check’s gonna come in," Miles Clevidence said. "Nobody knows, nobody wants to be off for this type of reason, of course.”

Clevidence says that fortunately, his wife works, so that will help keep their family afloat.

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