Considering its current definition (see below) and the wish to be politically correct, I wonder whether the word has come to acquire any racist overtone.
What is a coal miner hewer-Ask.com. Coal miner hewer is a person who hews or cuts the coal from its natural situation. The hewer is the actual coal-digger removing it from the coal face.
In Europe in former times, before he could become a hewer, the miner had to learn to be a sorter boy (Scheidejunge), identifying ores and separating the ore from the gangue. After that he would continue his training in the pit itself.