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Westmoreland Announces Cutbacks; Company
Seeks to Eliminate Losses in Virginia
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Philadelphia, PA -- June 20, 1995 -- Westmoreland Coal Company (NYSE:WCX) 
yesterday issued notices, pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining 
Notification ("WARN") Act, to its employees and to the employees of its wholly 
owned subsidiary, Pine Branch Mining Incorporated ("Pine Branch"), working in 
LeeCounty and Wise County, Virginia that on August 23, 1995, it will close the 
Holton Low Splint Mine, which employs 25 people, and that during the fourteen
day period beginning August 23, 1995, it expects to implement a further 
significant layoff at its other Virginia facilities.  Although the notices were 
issued for all Westmoreland and Pine Branch employees working in Virginia, 
the letters of notification, which were signed by Ronald W. Stucki, Senior 
Vice President-Operations, also state:  "The Company is working on tentative 
plans which could result in the retention of a reduced workforce to continue 
to operate certain facilities."  Mr. Stucki also stated today: "During the 
last quarter of 1994 and the first quarter of 1995, Westmoreland lost a 
combined total of over $13 Million from its Virginia Division and Pine Branch 
operations.  We are hopeful that during the next sixty days we will be able to 
reach an agreement, either with our employees or with a third party purchaser of
our Virginia assets, on terms which will allow for the continued operation of 
our facilities.  However, we issued these notices yesterday because we wanted 
to prepare our employees for certain scenarios among several alternatives 
which are currently under consideration and to comply with our obligations 
under the WARN Act.  We are working hard to develop the best alternative 
available for Westmoreland's long-term success and to implement it promptly.  
We will keep our employees and the community informed of additional information
on this issue, as soon as it become available."


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For information contact: R. Page Henley, Jr. (215) 545-2500