In its latest staffing reversal, U.S. Steel said workers soon will be recalled to Keewatin Taconite Co., according to union President Jack Thronson, who had a phone conversation with company officials Thursday morning.
Thronson, president of Steelworkers Union 2660, said the recall will begin next week, but he didn't know how many of the 400-member work force would return to the taconite mine outside of Keewatin.
With Hibbing Taconite sending recall letters last week, all major mining operations on the Iron Range have now announced restarts. It's welcome news as Christmas approaches.
"Everything will start hopping again," Keewatin Mayor Tom Sampson said. "There'll be people in the streets."
US Steel would not comment on the recall other than to say that they base production on customer demand.
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"They just said they are going to call people back," Thronson said. "There are no details yet. They said they would get back to me when they got more information."
Most of Keetac's staff have been out of work since December last year. In September, union workers were expecting to be recalled, but in late October, they heard the mine would close well into winter, with no restart date given.
"You have to remember that they go according to the steel industry demands, so I hope that this is correct and they go back to full production," Thronson said.
"I hope the place gets going and keeps going," said Jim Hagsten, a 30-year Keetac employee. "And get everyone back there."
Thronson said the recall comes at a critical time because many laid-off workers were about to have their health insurance and unemployment benefits run out at the end of the month.
"We are happy that they are going to be calling people back," Thronson said. "We have quite a few people that are going to be without benefits."
