Retirees Deliver Message to Cliffs: ‘We Deserve Affordable Health Care’

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Dozens of USW retirees, family members and allies delivered a loud and clear message to Cliffs management this morning at the company’s annual breakfast with business leaders in Marquette, Michigan.

As bargaining with Cliffs drags on due to management’s continued demands for deep, unnecessary concessions, these brave retirees demonstrated outside the meeting to let the company know that they are fed up with management’s insistence on imposing unreasonable increases on their health care premiums.

We are all well aware of what a difficult time this is for the iron ore industry. Yet we also know that this problem is not going to be solved by forcing retirees to choose between paying for health care and putting food on the table. We are determined to do everything we can to make sure Cliffs does not take advantage of this crisis to harm our retirees who have worked hard their whole lives.

We look forward to getting back to the table and working with Cliffs toward constructive solutions to our shared problems. Stay strong, and we will continue to keep you informed as bargaining continues.