Cliffs Natural Resources and the United Steelworkers of America will go back to the table next month to resume contract talks and have agreed to keep working in the meantime.
The two sides failed to reach a new contract by the Sept. 1 deadline but agreed to extend the contact with no strike and no lockout without at least 48 hours' notice from either side.
That agreement will remain in place, with workers on the job, at least until the two sides meet Oct. 8 in Duluth, said Wayne Ranick, a spokesman for the Steelworkers in Pittsburgh.
The outcome affects about 455 workers at United Taconite in Eveleth, 675 at Hibbing Taconite and 1,300 at Cliff's Empire and Tilden operations in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Cliffs also operates non-union NorthShore Mining.
Steelworkers already have settled contact talks with U.S. Steel, which involved Iron Range workers and Minntac in Mountain Iron and Keetac in Keewatin.
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Negotiations remain stalled between the union and ArcelorMittal, the nation's largest steelmaker which also owns the Minorca taconite facility near Virginia. Union officials on Thursday said they have made a comprehensive contact proposal to the company but that the company did not immediately respond.
There are about 300 USW workers at the Minorca mine and processing center. The workers on Wednesday held a rally to support their contract efforts. Union officials said the company would consider the proposal and respond today Thursday. There's no word of any agreement so far today.
