Extended unemployment for miners has a clear path — don’t mind the political potholes

This story was originally published by Iron Range Today.

Iron Range Republicans in the Minnesota House tried to advance a widely-supported effort to secure extended unemployment benefits for 630 miners, but were stalled Wednesday after Democrats said the bill’s lead author tied it to political policies.

Facing an exceptionally delicate power balance in the deadlocked House, the attempt by Rep. Spencer Igo (R-Wabana Township) to tack on sulfate standards and mine waste storage — without a committee majority — was doomed from the start. Six Republicans refused a “clean bill” amendment that separated out unemployment benefits, setting the stage for DFL-led measures to move forward.

Extended benefits on their own have bipartisan support among the House, Senate and Gov. Tim Walz. A remarkable achievement considering the tumult of this session. While Democrats signaled that the effort could garner unanimous support, the Republican-led bill would not leave the committee level as-is, and was laid over the table for further consideration.

They plan to sign off on a benefits-only bill from Rep. Pete Johnson (DFL-Duluth) in committee Thursday.

“You’re talking about the urgent nature of this, so why not just bring the [unemployment] bill forward? You will find nobody on this side of the aisle that will vote against that,” said Rep. Kaela Berg (DFL-Burnsville). “I’m disappointed in how this is coming together. It’s unnecessarily political in nature.”

Senators Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) and Rob Farnsworth (R-Hibbing) co-authored companion bills for Johnson and Igo. They said at a press conference following the hearing that regulatory relief was a priority for the Iron Range Delegation, alongside opening non-ferrous mines and supporting the Steelworkers.

“The sausage making process is never pretty,” Hauschild said.

In committee, Igo, Rep. Cal Warwas (R-Clinton Township), current and former United Steelworkers (USW) and the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools said the three-part bill would provide short-and-long-term stability to the region’s mining industry. They cited uncertainty around current sulfate standards and a recent court ruling against Keewatin Taconite on the issue, coupled with the large-scale layoffs.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency attempted to amend its water quality standard for wild rice lakes to allow more sulfate in areas with high iron — like a taconite mining site — but an administrative law judge struck the changes down in 2017. Igo said the related provision in his bill would “make sure the commissioner follows through” on rulemaking.

Representatives from the Steelworkers said they’re concerned about the long-term vitality of the taconite mines if the status quo on sulfates remains when permit renewals come around.

“U.S. Steel won’t admit it, but if it gets to the point of investing $1 billion in reverse osmosis, they will walk away from Keetac,” said John Arbogast of the USW District 11. “This is why we need this now, because its the most important thing in my 30 years as an iron miner. This is like nothing we’ve seen in 50 years.”

Berg said she encouraged Republicans to get an expedited hearing on the sulfate and safe storage provisions in the environmental committee, but Igo said it had not come together as of Wednesday.

Rep. Emma Greenman (DFL-Minneapolis) echoed her party’s sentiments that the environmental committee was the right path for the policies, and that a combined bill would undermine their ability to pass a benefits extension quickly. The last time the Legislature took up an unemployment bill was 2023, when Cleveland-Cliffs idled Northsore Mining in Silver Bay, and it reached Walz’s desk within weeks.

“I know there’s a lot of work being done on that and there’s a whole separate process for that,” she said of the policies. “By putting that process onto this bill, it compromises and jeopardizes the wage benefits that folks need.”

If the unemployment benefits extension is passed on its own this session it would provide an additional 26 weeks for workers at Minorca and Hibbing Taconite. The estimated cost is up to $12 million, Igo said. Their current benefits are set to expire around Christmas.

As mining jobs have shrunk across the Range due to plant closures and technological advances, workers face diminished job prospects locally. Once at a robust 13,000 mining jobs before the 1980s downsizing, that number has now settled under 4,000, making it tough for mines to absorb laid off workers without relocation.

“There is considerable conversation that this will be longer than we anticipate,” said Al King, president of USW Local 6115 at Minorca. “Something just to hold on for a couple more months. This is a bill of hope for our community.”