Coal industry stabilizes but adds only 5 full-time jobs

摘要

Wyoming's coal sector has stopped its tailspin, but prospects for a full recovery are bleak, according to a report released this week. Between the darkest stage of the coal bust in 2016 and last year, the state's coal companies added just five full-time jobs, according to the Wyoming state mine inspector's annual report. The industry sees that number as a sign that the market has stabilized. Though the state added only a handful of full-time positions, a big share of its coal workers consists of contract miners, a sector that saw a 133-job increase last year. "We're pretty much where we were last year," said Travis Deti, executive director of the Wyoming Mining Association. "I think that's just reflective that things have evened out a little bit, adjusted to this new environment."