ENERGY

Coal Miners’ Strike Expands: A month-old strike by the United Mine Workers of America spread to five more companies in Illinois, West Virginia and Pennsylvania as another 1,700 miners walked off the job, bringing the total number of strikers to 9,200. The strike, which began Feb. 1 against Peabody Coal Co., expanded to Consol Inc., Arch Mineral, Freeman Energy, Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Co. and Ziegler Coal Co. The two sides said they are not negotiating and have no current plans to do so. The UMW says a key sticking point is the companies’ refusal to provide the union with information it has requested related to corporate structure, coal land ownership and other matters.