ST. LOUIS (AP) — Patriot Coal Corp. has asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to modify collective bargaining agreements with the United Mine Workers of America, allowing the company to cut health care coverage for retired miners.

St. Louis-based Patriot also sought to change wages, benefits and work rules for existing workers in an effort to make the company more competitive, saying in a filing Thursday that the actions are necessary to save more than 4,000 current jobs.