WHITESBURG, Ky. - Sporadic labor strikes by truckers continued in the eastern Kentucky coalfields this week, the latest one in Letcher County.

About 30 coal truck owners and drivers parked their rigs at Enterprise Mining on Monday to protest after the company refused to increase their hauling fees from $1.60 a ton to $3 a ton.

Truckers said the higher fees are needed because a crackdown on overweight vehicles by Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement forces them to haul fewer tons per load. They say trucks that could get by with hauling 70 tons of coal before the crackdown now must limit their loads to less than 40 tons to operate legally.

"Right now, we're all losing money," said Kevin Ison, a trucker from Kingscreek.

David Thomas, a trucker from Jackhorn, said most other coal companies have agreed to pay their coal haulers more to make up for financial losses that resulted from the crackdown by vehicle enforcement officers.

Similar work stoppages have been reported in other parts of eastern Kentucky since the crackdown began three weeks ago.