West Virginia Governor Jim Justice’s family is facing financial issues at their hotel, The Greenbrier, with millions of dollars in delinquent payments to the employees’ health insurance fund. Despite Justice’s claims that payments were being made regularly and that coverage would not be lost, a union official confirmed on Friday that the delinquencies are real and documented. The situation has not been resolved, and the union continues to demand that The Greenbrier meet its contractual obligations to ensure employee benefits.
The Justice family recently reached an agreement with a credit collection company to prevent The Greenbrier hotel from being foreclosed on due to unpaid debts. The auction for the hotel, scheduled for August 27, was canceled after a loan was declared in default. In response, the Amalgamated National Health Fund agreed to continue offering health insurance to union employees at The Greenbrier until the end of the month as they work towards a resolution with the Justice family. However, concerns remain about the ongoing financial challenges facing the hotel and its employees.
Leading up to the auction, about 400 employees at The Greenbrier received notices from the health care provider stating that they would lose insurance coverage unless the Justice family paid $2.4 million in missing contributions. Additionally, the family has not contributed to the health fund in four months, with another $1.2 million in contributions soon due. This situation has raised concerns among union officials, as some contributions deducted from employees’ paychecks were not transferred to the fund as required by the contract.
Governor Justice, who bought The Greenbrier out of bankruptcy in 2009, emphasized his efforts to restore employee benefits after they were “stripped to the bone” when he purchased the hotel. He expressed concern about the potential impact on employees if the hotel had been foreclosed on, highlighting the importance of preserving jobs in the community. Justice, who is also a candidate for U.S. Senate against Democrat Glenn Elliott, has faced criticism in court cases for late payments and fines related to his family business debts and unsafe working conditions at coal mines.
Despite the financial challenges facing The Greenbrier and the Justice family, efforts are being made to address the delinquent payments and secure ongoing health insurance coverage for employees. The cancellation of the auction provides a temporary reprieve, allowing negotiations to continue between the parties involved. However, the situation underscores the precarious nature of the hotel’s financial situation and the potential impact on its employees. As Governor Justice navigates these challenges while also running for Senate, the outcome will have significant implications for the future of The Greenbrier and its workforce.
