Kiss believes there was no alternative. The deficit could get worse. If it does, every taxpayer could end up paying part of it. Coal companies played a major role in creating the deficit. But coal employment is falling, which could cut into the total premiums the coal industry pays the Workers' Compensation Fund.
Coal production keeps rising.
But compensation premiums are based on hours worked, not tons produced. Last year, it took just 21,296 miners to dig 174 million tons. Anyone who has a workers' compensation claim should be paid quickly and fairly. But you've got to have a fund that has money in the bank to pay that claim. In early 1995, labor leaders opposed tightening eligibility requirements for benefits.