



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Workers at P&H Mining in Milwaukee say close to 200 workers were laid off on Wednesday, September 11th. Company officials say there were layoffs but would not indicate how many.



P&H Mining, a division of Joy Global, sells and services mining equipment. Just six months ago, business was on the upside for the company. Workers anticipated a new mining bill in Wisconsin would mean good things for the company. But now, there's apparently been a change of heart.



"We had a meeting and they said that due to economic conditions, they need to layoff workers," said a P&H machinist who did not want to be identified.



That machinist told FOX6 News, in the last few weeks, hours have been cut. Then on Wednesday, he was in a room with close to 50 of his co-workers when he got the news about the layoffs.



Company officials would not go on camera. Instead, they released a statement saying in part, business was slowing down and "the workload cannot sustain the employment level." The company says the decision to lay off workers was "very difficult...but unavoidable."



Gov. Scott Walker was at P&H Mining in march for a ceremonial signing of the state's new mining bill.



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