AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The United Steelworkers are continuing to strike against what they are calling unfair labor practices at ASARCO locations in Arizona and in Texas, including the ASARCO refinery in Amarillo.
The union said members have yet to cross the picket line here.
The United Steelworkers said Grupo Mexico, which owns ASARCO, has not come to the table for negotiations in at least three months.
They said 150 union members continue to strike, a few members taking rotating shifts for several hours each day.
USW Staff Representative for District 13, Jose Loya, said he does not believe the company is willing to negotiate in good faith. He said the strike is longer than the union’s previous strike, going on six months in March.
“That used to be one of the best places to work in the panhandle and these guys have gone 10 years without a raise. Now the company is, again, not offering a raise, but they’re wanting to increase the cost of your benefits as far as insurance and everything. So they’re actually not wanting to improve our working conditions at all if anything they wanted to, to worsen them,” said Loya.
Loya said the union is helping with bills for workers in the meantime and solidarity is strong.
Loya also said most union members who work at ASARCO have found other part-time jobs to make ends meet. He said the union is waiting on the company to come to the table so they can negotiate new terms.
We have tried reaching out to ASARCO for comment. There has been no word from the company at this time.
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