O’Halleran responds to strike at Southern Arizona mines

Contributed Article

VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK—On Saturday, Oct. 19, in response to the ongoing strike at several Asarco copper mines and smelters in southern Arizona, Congressman Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01) released the following statement. 

“The workers at the Asarco mines have the right to strike peacefully, and I support this right. Asarco mine employees have been pushing back against low wages, long hours, and poor benefits for nearly a decade now. Asarco must reach out to the unions involved and set up good faith negotiations that take into account the long term wellbeing of their employees, the workers’ families, and the economic health of our southern Arizona communities.” 

Unions representing the mine workers, which include Teamsters 104 and the United Steelworkers Union, called for a strike after they saw a four-year contract proposed by Asarco that would have frozen pension plans, more than doubled health care deductibles and included no wage raises for most employees.  

Rep. O’Halleran is a member of the Labor and Working Families Caucus.