Early Monday morning, a crowd of trona miners, their spouses, children and more than 100 local residents assembled along the frontage road to the Westvaco underground mining operation in Sweetwater County. The demonstration, organized by United Steelworkers Local 13214, aimed to press WE Soda to reconsider a plan that would slash the workforce by 41 percent over the next two years.
Union leader calls for a gradual transition
“What we would like to see is the mine stay open,” United Steelworkers Local 13214 President Marshal Cummings told reporters. “If we’re going to move to solution mining, we need to do it in slow waves through attrition so that it doesn’t completely demolish the community.”
WE Soda, a London‑based company that acquired Westvaco’s trona assets in early 2025, announced it will convert the underground mine to an in‑situ solution recovery method. The new drill‑and‑pump technique is less labor‑intensive and is expected to reduce soda ash output as the company refocuses on North American customers.
Economic impact on southwest Wyoming
The shift threatens the livelihoods of roughly 350 WE Soda employees in the region. Cummings warned that the layoffs could ripple through families, housing markets and local businesses that depend on the steady income of mine workers. “This is so much more than just a paycheck,” he said. “People’s futures are shattered on a scale Wyoming hasn’t seen very often.”
Former state legislator and Green River mayor‑elect Stan Blake echoed those concerns, describing the news as a “gut punch” that arrived “out of nowhere.” He noted that many households are already worried about making mortgage and rent payments.
Company rationale and timeline
WE Soda attributes the transition to “crushing global market forces” driven by a flood of cheaper soda ash from China. The company says the two‑year conversion will allow it to remain competitive while reducing its share of the global soda ash market, which currently stands at about 14 percent for Wyoming.
Layoffs are slated to begin in January and continue through the next two years. The company estimates its Wyoming workforce will shrink from roughly 850 employees to about 500 after the transition.
Calls for political action
The union is urging Wyoming’s congressional delegation to intervene, arguing that the state’s oil and gas sector receives substantial tax relief while the soda ash industry faces no comparable support. “It’s time to prop up the soda industry and the trona miners,” Blake said.
Cummings also mentioned that he will lead his church congregation in prayer, expressing deep concern that the economic shock could drive affected families toward substance abuse.
Resources for displaced workers
Wyoming Workforce Services offers job‑search assistance and training programs for those impacted by the layoffs. Residents can also access food banks, the state 211 service and the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988) for additional support.
WE Soda’s recent history includes a series of acquisitions and workforce reductions. After purchasing Westvaco’s trona assets in January 2025 and buying competitor Genesis Alkali the following month, the company cut 48 jobs in April 2025 to “achieve efficiency, reduce redundancy and strengthen the existing hourly workforce.”
Community response
Protesters lit a burn barrel for warmth and chanted “union strong,” while a child held a sign reading, “I don’t know what a ‘layoff’ is, I just know my daddy is sad.” The demonstration highlighted the deep ties between the mine and the surrounding towns, where many families have lived for generations.
Local leaders emphasized the broader implications of the cuts, warning of potential increases in vacant homes, reduced property‑tax revenue and a decline in middle‑class spending at small businesses.
As the community braces for the upcoming changes, union officials and local officials continue to seek a solution that preserves both jobs and the economic stability of southwest Wyoming.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
