PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — About a dozen Kentucky coal miners remained on train tracks Tuesday, saying they haven't been paid for producing the coal in the train cars.

The tracks lead from Quest Energy in Pike County. American Resources Corp., which owns Quest, told news outlets that the miners will all be paid. The company disputed miners' claims that they haven't been paid since Dec. 16.

American Resources said it owes some miners for eight days of work and some for one day. The company blamed a “temporary blip” in the coal market.

“They will all be paid as we don't take this lightly,” the company said in a statement.

The miners said they won't return to work until their paychecks are in their bank accounts.

"I'm starving. I about lost everything I own and I'm tired of it," Quest miner Dustin Maynard told WYMT-TV. “Somebody's gotta stand up to these guys and I guess it's us.”

Donations arrived within hours of the protest starting Monday. People brought pizza, water and firewood.

Miners last summer in Harlan County held a similar protest when Blackjewel filed bankruptcy. The miners eventually were given a deal to be paid and let the train pass.

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed., source Associated Press News