Aug 5, 2016 2 min read

The United Mine Workers of America announced Friday that it has reached a new tentative labor agreement with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association.

Union members will meet next week with union leadership to learn about the proposal and will vote on the pact Friday. Details of the agreement will not be released until after the ratification vote, UMW spokesman Phil Smith said.

The proposed agreement is the second tentative contract between the union and BCOA. The original tentative agreement was rejected by the union membership in June.

The BOCA includes several coal companies, the largest of which is the St. Clairsville, Ohio-based Murray Energy, which employs more than 1,700 UMW employees.

Murray has operations in several states, including West Virginia and Ohio. Its closest mine is the Monongalia County Mine, formerly Blacksville No. 2, which is in West Virginia, just across the Greene County line.

A Murray Energy spokesman declined to comment on the tentative agreement Friday.

UMW President Cecil E. Roberts will lead several meetings next week to explain the new tentative agreement. The meetings will be held:

•Tuesday, Aug. 9 at the Wesbanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va., at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., for members of UMW Local Unions 1110, 1473, 1604, 1638, 1857 and 1886.

•Wednesday, Aug. 10 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, W.Va., at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., for members of Local Unions 1197, 1248, 1412, 1501, 1545, 1643, 1702, 1980, 2322, 6025 and 9909.

•Thursday, Aug. 11 at the Centerville Senior Center in Centerville, Ohio, at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., for members of Local Unions 1810 and 5497.

The meetings are only for active and retired dues-paying members and their spouses, the union said.