No contracts yet with Steelworkers and mining companies

Cliffs Natural Resources and the United Steelworkers of America agreed late Friday to temporarily break off contract negotiations without reaching a new labor deal, and operations at the company's mines -- including two on the Iron Range -- were set to continue through the weekend.

"As agreed to earlier on Friday, there will be no work stoppage initiated by either party and operations will continue at the Cliffs' USW represented mines in Michigan and Minnesota," the company said in a news release Saturday, noting that Cliffs "looks forward to resuming contract negotiations in the very near future."

Union officials said the terms of the old contract, which expired Saturday, will be renewed temporarily during negotiations unless one of the sides indicates otherwise with 48 hours' advance written notice.

The negotiations with Cliffs affect 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.

Union members at Cliffs properties already have approved a strike if negotiations fail. Cliffs also owns and operates non-union Northshore Taconite in Silver Bay and Babbitt.

Meanwhile, the union continued Saturday to report no agreement with the owners of Minnesota's other taconite plants -- U.S. Steel and ArcelorMittal -- where workers' contracts also expired this weekend. U.S. Steel owns both Minntac in Mountain Iron and Keetac in Keewatin, with a combined 1,620 union members. ArcelorMittal owns the Minorca mine and processing center outside Virginia, with about 300 union members.

The union reported Saturday that talks were continuing with U.S. Steel and that the old contract was to remain in place as the two sides continued to negotiate. Union members were told to report to work as usual on Saturday night. A spokeswoman for U.S. Steel said late Saturday that the company was not commenting on the negotiations.

The union said no agreement for a contract extension had been reached with ArcelorMittal, but that members continued to report for work. A message left Saturday evening with officials from ArcelorMittal was not returned as of press time.