Coal Company CEO leads staffers in prayer & then lays off 156 (Says Obama's Fault)

[WI_DEM]

The CEO of Murray Energy, an Ohio-based coal company, said the reelection of President Obama "was no cause for celebration. It was a time for prayer - and layoffs," the Washington Post reports.

Robert Murray read a prayer to a group of company staff members on the day after the election, lamenting the direction of the country and asking: "Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build."

He then announced layoffs of 156 people at two subsidiaries.

This is the same company that forced its employees to attend a Mitt Romney rally last summer and lose pay as a result.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/11/09/energy_company_ceo_blames_layoffs_on_obama.html

[bayareamike]

1. Psychopath. nt

[Mister Ed]

13. I'd be scared to own stock in a company run by such a loose cannon. n/t

[freshwest]

2. Just another lying repig. Disgusting. Guess there's no law against it.

[The Wielding Truth]

3. He runs his company. Our president's reelection changed nothing to his business.

Lord,teach this fool to face his own problems and not blame his political enemies.

[WinkyDink]

4. Right. One day changed everything for the company's prospects. This is just a vindictive nutcase

with power over other people.

[Angry Dragon]

5. another asshole that refuses to take responsibility for poor management decisions

[drm604]

6. The guy's a petulant jerk.

Overnight things changed so much that he's suddenly forced to lay off 156 workers to save the company?

He's just lashing out at the easiest targets.

Has he prayed for forgiveness for all of the environmental damage he's done?

Did he take a personal pay cut or a cut in profits before taking away the livelihoods of these people?

[liberal N proud]

7. Does anyone know if these could actually be seasonal layoffs?

If the coal mine is open pit, they may not work during the winter and this asshole is just making headlines out of an annual event.

Just wondering if someone closer to the coal business had any idea.

[BlueSpot]

14. Not Seasonal

The Department of Energy projects coal production in the U.S. to decline by some 70 million tons this year. The main reason is because the cheap natural gas produced by fracking has become more economical for utilities than coal (this is on the cusp of changing back as natural gas prices have been rising).

DOE Short Term Energy Outlook: http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/steo/pdf/steo_full.pdf

Prices have dropped as a result of weaker demand. A number of coal companies have been closing mines until market conditions improve. If you want to verify this, just look up the 3Q earnings reports from the major coal companies.

I can't say for sure, of course, what is motivating Murray in particular. This is just a brief synopsis of general market conditions.

[Thinkingabout]

8. This is a lot of crap, there has not been any changes to have caused them to make this decision.

To get up and pray is very unchristian like, based on hateful revenge, they should have ask what would Jesus do, and there is voter intimidation by lying CEO's. Now do you trust these scumbags to regulate themselves? Never. Just scumbags.

[rvt1000rr]

9. This is the same asshat

who was fined $1.85 million following the the deaths of 6 of his employees in a 2007 mine collapse after multiple citations for unsafe working conditions. Donating heavily to Republican pacs, he has plenty of money to support his teabagging beliefs, but not enough to save the lives of his workers.

Asshole!

[The Wielding Truth]

10. Amazing. Isn't it? Corruption is the norm and the Tea Party loves it.

[kelliekat44]

11. First, he had to "read" a prayer. Next it's a layoff...didn't fire anyone? Probably return to work

in about a week or so after this bozo makes his point.

[Initech]

12. If I worked there I'd resign in protest. What an asshole.