The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that union members have ratified a contract with Cliffs Natural Resources covering about 2,000 workers who belong to four local unions at the company's US iron ore mines. The agreement is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2015 and will expire on Oct. 1, 2018.
USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez, who chairs the union's negotiations with Cliffs, said that the newly ratified agreement preserves wages, benefits and other longstanding rights and protections without lowering the standards of living of current workers or retirees.
"The contract reflects the hard work and solidarity of our negotiating committee, activists and members and retirees from each of the local unions," Ramirez said. "Settling our differences with management at the table will enable all of us to focus on addressing the industry's real problems, such as global overcapacity and the unfair and often illegal foreign trade practices that depress prices, close facilities and cost jobs."