Mine worker unemployment benefits begin to expire

Unemployment benefits for laid-off mine workers on the Iron Range begin to expire this week.

About 1,500 taconite mine workers have been laid off this year amid record low iron ore prices and a flood of cheap, imported steel.

Workers at U.S. Steel's Keewatin Taconite will be the first to have benefits run out. Cliff Tobey, president of Steelworkers Union Local 2660 in Keewatin, says it's scary because most members thought the mine would reopen last month.

"We have families in real need right now," Tobey said. "That's why we have programs like this."

Tobey is unsure how many steelworkers lose benefits this week. But in a letter to state legislative leaders earlier this month, Gov. Mark Dayton said 74 people laid off by U.S. Steel would lose their unemployment insurance this month. He said nearly 600 will lose them by February or March of 2016.

Dayton has called for a special session to extend those benefits. But Republican leaders say any special session should include assurances from Dayton that he won't delay a proposed copper-nickel mine and oil pipeline in northern Minnesota.

For his part, Tobey, who's worked at Keetac for nearly 20 years as a mechanic, said he hopes lawmakers can set politics aside and focus on this one issue.

"We end up with slow times periodically," he said, "but I've never seen where things just keep getting worse and worse in the steel industry."