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The United Mine Workers union has succeeded in pressuring Congress to introduce a bill that will amend the National Labor Relations Act and disallow 'double-breasting' in the coal mining industry. Union leaders have accused some coal producers of creating non-union subsidiaries in an attempt to evade union contracts. With the drafting of a new regulatory measure, UMW workers are given greater job security at new mines or those acquired by affiliate companies of the Bituminous Coal Operators Assn.

The United Mine Workers of America (UMW) has contiued talks with the Bituminous Coal Operators Assn (BCOA) although there is no clear indication that the strike will soon end. Four companies have defected from the BCOA including AMAX Inc which is the third largest coal producer in the US. UMW, working for job security for its members, claims that the BCOA is opposing the move by not providing adequate information on the ownership of new mines.

China's coal industry will allow direct foreign investment to replace the compensation trade system operated by the Coal Ministry. China will welcome investment in the form of underground mines, slurry pipelines and pithead power plants. These investment projects are already being discussed with several foreign firms such as Customs Coal Co., Willbros Butler Engineers Inc. and Broken Hill Pty. Co. Open cast mines will be opened for foreign companies in 1996.

Army Corps of Engineers deputy director of civil works Jimmy F. Bates reported that coal shippers will be pressured to provide financial support for the navigation-maintenance projects in the Long Beach and Los Angeles harbors. Bates reported that the costs for dredge material disposal and inland waterway improvement projects will exceed its operations and maintenance budget.

Talks between the United Mine Workers of America and Eastern coal producers are in a deadlock. No information is available as to what issues are unresolved, since earlier reports claim that both sides were preparing to reach an agreement. The strike, which began on May 10, 1993, involves 17,000 workers in seven states. As a result, coal production for 1993 is down 4.7% as compared to the first nine months of 1992.

Railroad and utility firms do not seem to be bothered by last-minute contract negotiations between the United Mine Workers (UMW) Union and coal-producing members of the Bituminous Coal Operators Assn. The relaxed attitude on the part of coal consumers is based on indications that the threat of a UMW strike seems remote. Previously, railroad firms usually lay off workers and utilities stock up on inventories of coal during contract negotiations between the two parties.

Pres Bill Clinton's administration has expressed its intention to use various market intervention techniques to stimulate the energy industry. The administration's commitment to market intervention could prove favorable to the industry because a review of the history of the energy industry reveals that it was most viable when intervention was present. Nonetheless, the Clinton administration still has to prove its performance on the energy industry in its first six months.

Wyoming has charged four other states namely, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania for enacting protectionist laws in favor of their respective mining industries to the exclusion of the use of Wyoming coal. Wyoming's coal output has low sulfur content and satisfies the requirement of the Clean Air Act. The other states' coal output, on the other hand, contain high degree of sulfur. The concerned states denied the charges and declared that state laws were dictated by economics.