Union miners rallied Tuesday afternoon at Asarcoβs Tucson headquarters to protest what they say are unfair contract negotiating tactics by the copper-mining company.
The United Steelworkers, the lead among eight labor unions representing about 2,000 Asarco workers, said Asarco has announced its intent to unilaterally implement the companyβs βlast, best and finalβ contract proposal on Tuesday, calling the move βillegal.β
Officials at Asarco LLC, which is part of mining giant Grupo Mexico, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The unions say Asarcoβs last offer includes no wage increases, cuts retiree health-care benefits and offers no copper-price bonuses when the price of copper is below $2.70 per pound. Spot copper closed Tuesday at $2.07 per pound.
The union said its negotiating committee is scheduled to meet again with Asarco on Dec. 14.
Asarcoβs union workers have been working without a contract under terms of the prior collective-bargaining agreement, which expired in June.
The unions filed a complaint against Asarco with the National Labor Relations Board in July, accusing the company of bargaining in bad faith. Asarco responded with its own bad-faith complaint against the unions.
In late October, the NLRB issued a formal complaint against Asarco, charging the company with unfair labor practices for βinterfering with, restraining and coercing employeesβ who were exercising their rights to bargain.
Among the specific charges, the NLRB alleges that Asarco questioned some employees about their union activities, improperly moved some workers from 8-hour to 12-hour shifts and didnβt follow labor agreements when it performed some layoffs at its Ray Mine in July.
A hearing is set for Jan. 12, when an administrative law judge will review evidence against Asarco and listen to testimony in the case.
Besides the Ray Mine in Central Arizona, Asarco operates the Mission Mine in Sahuarita south of Tucson, the Silver Bell Mine in Marana and a copper smelter in Hayden.
