Ohio Iron And Coal Miner Cleveland Cliffs, United Steelworkers Reach Interim Deal

September 1, 2008 12:13 p.m. EST

Pittsburgh, PA (AHN) - Ohio iron and coal miner Cleveland Cliffs, Inc. and the United Steelworkers agreed to a four-year tentative deal just in time before the current agreement expires.

Details of the agreement of were not disclosed pending ratification by employees. The deal covers 2,300 workers in Empire and Tilden mines in Michigan, and the United Taconite and Hibbing mines in Minnesota.

Negotiations were held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since August 4. The last agreement was ratified in 2004.

Cleveland Cliffs, which will be renamed to Cliffs Natural Resources, is the largest producer of beneficiated iron ore pellets in North America, holding 28 percent share of the iron ore pellet market.