MN Senate Job Conference Committee Agrees to Extend UI Benefits to Steelworkers

HIBBING/VIRGINIA, Minn. — Iron Range Miner’s are one step closer to getting approved for up to a year of Unemployment Insurance.

Cleveland-Cliffs, the leading steel producer in North America, announced in March that they are temporarily idling more than 600 steelworkers at Hibbing Taconite and Minorca Mine.

Minnesota’s UI benefits are good for up to 6 months and are able to collect 50% of their regular salary. But with the uncertainty of how long the mines are to sit idle, Minnesota lawmakers in both the house and senate worked to extend their UI benefits.

Earlier this week, members of Minnesota’s House finalized their version of the bill.

On Thursday night, the Minnesota Senate’s Job Conference Committee agreed to extend UI benefits to laid-off steelworkers.

“What we’ve seen, with the Minorca mine in particular, is that they are weatherizing the facility,” said Sen. Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown). “And so there’s concerns that this could be a year long layoff. So we wanted to make sure that we provided the steel workers with the certainty they needed to stay in our communities. The challenge on the Iron Range is if we lose these steel workers who are skilled craftsmen, then it’s really hard to reopen a mine if you don’t have those skilled trades in the area.”

The bill will next be reviewed by both the Senate and the House in a special session before being signed by Gov. Tim Walz. According to Sen. Hauschild, they expect a special session to be called within the next few weeks.