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(KSL News) Mine owner Bob Murray today said he will shut down one of his mines in Utah's coal country.
Murray says he is closing the Tower mine in Carbon County because a pound of coal just isn't worth the risk.
Some of the employees who work at Tower mine have been moved to the Westridge coal mine, but employees from both mines have been laid off.
Now Murray is offering them jobs at his other mines in Illinois and Ohio.
"If they choose this, there will be no one laid off," Murray said.
Murray promised those miners free room and board and free transportation while there. The miners will also get a week off every fourth week to return home to Utah.
But one miner says it's not as sweet a deal as it sounds.
Jared Simms said, "There's a trick to that. He wants you to know that. I hear it earlier today on TV. It sounds beautiful. But he doesn't also say it's a pay cut, and for us to travel back on the one week off, we've got to pay for it on our own way."
Jared Simms does, however, say that he feels Murray is right for shutting down the Tower mine. He adds that he's heard Tower mine is not safe and experiences frequent mountain bumps.
Those miners have until today to decide, and if they choose to go, will ride a bus Tuesday to either Illinois or Ohio.
