Affected workers are eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which provides training and education benefits and services to displaced workers; Minnesota’s federal delegation is also working closely with state officials to ensure immediate funding for job retraining and educational opportunities is secured
Minnesota’s federal delegation is pushing the U.S. Department of Labor to approve the funding required to extend long-term benefits to impacted workers and their families; Klobuchar has also spoken by phone with Labor Secretary Perez on behalf of the federal delegation to push expedited approval of TAA petitions
Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, along with Representative Rick Nolan, are urging the Department of Labor to expedite approval of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) petitions for Iron Range steelworkers and miners who have been impacted by recent layoffs. Thousands of Iron Range workers are eligible for the TAA program, which provides training and education benefits and services to displaced workers. Minnesota’s federal delegation is also working closely with state officials to ensure that immediate funding for job retraining and educational opportunities is secured. Over 200 Minnesota workers will be eligible to participate in the program beginning in August. Klobuchar, Franken, and Nolan recently sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Labor to expedite approval of the three TAA petitions submitted by workers from the affected mining operations.
“These workers who are waiting for these decisions are currently in limbo,” the delegation wrote. “Many are enrolled in training programs set to start in a few weeks. Yet, they do not know if TAA will cover their tuition costs for the fall semester. These families need to know if they will qualify for the trade readjustment allowance that they will need to help make ends meet while they look for new jobs or participate in training programs.”
Since February, six mining operations have idled or closed, resulting in a wave of layoffs for Minnesota steel workers. In a private phone conversation with Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Klobuchar pressed for the U.S. Department of Labor to honor its commitment to Minnesota workers and their families.
A full text of the letter is available below:
Dear Secretary Perez:
We are writing to express our concern regarding the approval of Trade Adjustment Assistance for trade-affected Minnesota steelworkers.
When foreign producers dump cheap steel in our country, it undercuts our domestic industry and puts steelworkers’ jobs at risk. Right now, three petitions for Trade Adjustment Assistance from Minnesotans affected by the dumping of cheap steel are pending before the Department of Labor. About 200 workers at Mesabi Nugget located in Aurora and Mining Resources near Chisholm lost their jobs in May when Steel Dynamics Inc decided to idle operations for at least two years. After being laid off in February, Magnetation LLC employees are also waiting to hear the status of their TAA application. Finally, steelworkers at the Cliffs Natural Resources United Taconite mine and plant have also been affected by a recent decision to temporarily idle operations.
These workers who are waiting for these decisions are currently in limbo. Many are enrolled in training programs set to start in a few weeks. Yet, they do not know if TAA will cover their tuition costs for the fall semester. These families need to know if they will qualify for the trade readjustment allowance that they will need to help make ends meet while they look for new jobs or participate in training programs.
We understand that the DOL is currently reviewing these petitions. We ask that DOL process these petitions as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
