The displaced Cleveland-Cliffs workers will be paid in full for 60 days and then can apply for unemployment and sub-pay benefits.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Cleveland-Cliffs is temporarily laying off 630 workers in Minnesota as it idles two mines that supply iron ore to its steel mills in Northwest Indiana.
The Cleveland-based steelmaking and mining company plans to idle its Minorca mine and partially idle its Hibbing taconite mine in Minnesota's Iron Range on Lake Superior. The mines send lake freighters filled with iron ore down the Great Lakes to its Indiana Harbor Works and Burns Harbor Works steel mills on Lake Michigan, where they're used to fuel the blast furnaces that make the iron that's turned into steel. Northwest Indiana accounts for more than half the nation's iron production.
"Cleveland-Cliffs has issued WARN notices related to the planned idle of its Minorca mine and partial idle of its Hibbing mine," Cleveland-Cliffs Senior Director of Communications Patricia Persico said. "These temporary idles are necessary to re-balance working capital needs and consume excess pellet inventory produced in 2024. 630 employees will be impacted following the completion of the 60-day WARN period. We remain committed to supporting our employees and communities while monitoring market conditions."
Cleveland-Cliffs has said it expects that recently applied steel tariffs of 25% worldwide, replacing several quotas that had been negotiated, will ultimately bolster steel market conditions.
The displaced Cleveland-Cliffs workers will be paid in full for 60 days and then can apply for unemployment and sub-pay benefits. Minnesota State Rep. Cal Warwas said the legislature was preparing a bill to extend unemployment benefits for the long term if necessary.
Courtesy: www.nwitimes.com
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