The Militant (logo)  
   Vol. 68/No. 7           February 23, 2004  
 
 
Navajo coal miners
walk out in New Mexico
(front page)
 
BY FRANCISCO PICADO
CRAIG, Colorado—“We want the company to respect our Native people,” said Ron Peterman, president of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 953, in comments reported by the February 6 Independent, a daily based in Gallup, New Mexico. “That is more important than wages.”

Some 438 workers, 90 percent of whom are Navajo, struck BHP Billiton surface mines in Farmington, New Mexico, at midnight, January 31, when their three-year contract ran out.

“Our membership decided it was going to fight this time,” said picket captain J.D. Arnold in a February 7 telephone interview with the Militant. “Miners decided that we need to improve our wages and we needed an acceptable pension plan.” The workers are also demanding full benefits for members on military leave, as well as better coverage for Native American healing services, since the current plan covers “only a portion of the cost of those services,” Arnold said.

“People said the 20- and 30-cent wage increases of the past are not going to do anymore,” he continued. “We want our share and we want parity with other miners.”

Local 953 also represents 200 underground miners in a fourth BHP-owned mine, who ratified a contract in May of last year. The local has represented miners in this area for more than 35 years. This is the first time workers have gone on strike.

In a ballot held February 6 and 7, the surface mine workers voted 298-128 to reject the company’s latest contract proposal and continue the strike. “They turned it down pretty resoundingly,” Local 953 business agent Don Looney told the Farmington Daily Times. “They just don’t think they’re getting any respect. They’re just not happy with BHP and they think it’s finally time to stand up to them,” he added.

The miners have set up picket lines at the entrances of the three surface mines: the San Juan and Navajo mines, which are 16 miles west and 19 miles southwest of Farmington, respectively, and the La Plata mine.

BHP Billiton, which is based in Melbourne, Australia, describes itself as “the world’s largest diversified resources company,” with 35,000 employees working in more than 100 operations in around 20 countries. Company mines produce aluminum, coal, copper, ferro-alloys, iron ore, and titanium. The company reported more than 14 million tons of coal production last year from its four New Mexico mines.

BHP exclusively supplies the Arizona Public Services power plant in the Navajo Nation, as well as the P&M power plant in San Juan, New Mexico, according to union leaders.

“They were trying to take away much of our health insurance,” Don Looney told the Militant over the telephone. “But we pushed that back. Where we are way behind is in our pension plan and we really need to make some gains on that front. We have members who are in their 50s and for them this is no small question.” Retirement benefits are so low, he explained, that retired workers could be forced to work minimum-wage jobs to make ends meet.

Unionists told the Militant that support has come from Teamsters Union-organized UPS workers, members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Carpenters Union members, and other working people in the area, who have stopped at the picket lines to donate food, coffee, heaters, and blankets. “We need the support and encouragement of brothers and sisters out there,” said Looney.

“Many of our members in the underground mine come to the picket line after they get off work. One of them did a night shift for me,” said Arnold. “We have also received letters of support and visits by members of the Ute tribe. Our tribal council has also express support,” he said.

“I’m most worried about my pension. There’s more things, but that’s my main worry,” said Shiprock resident Phil Lansing during a protest outside the BHP building on West Arrington last Friday, according to the Farmington Daily Times. “It’s worth it to strike,” said Lansing, who has worked in the mines for 29 years.

“We are standing strong, no miners have crossed our picket line and we are aware of no scabs,” said Arnold. The union leaders asked supporters to send contributions to: Operating Engineers Local 953 at P.O. Box 2127 Kirtland, NM 87417, Tel: (505) 598-6634. Contributions to the miners’ food bank should be taken to their union hall at 4260 Highway 64 in Kirtland.

Meanwhile, BHP Billiton has agreed to a new union contract with 441 miners at the Cerro Colorado copper mine in Chile. After a seven-day strike, the mining giant succumbed to the union demand for higher wages.

The miners had rejected a company offer of a 3.9 percent increase, and won instead a 4 percent increase over and above the rate of inflation, along with improved production bonuses.

“It is a good union agreement—we are going back,” said union leader Carlos Valenzuela, quoted in a report on the Bloomberg news service. The strike at Cerro Colorado was the third at a Chilean mine since August, and the second at a mine in Chile controlled by BHP Billiton. Workers at the company’s Escondida mine struck for one day in August, forcing management to improve its offer.
 
 
Related article:
Day of Solidarity boosts striking Utah miners
Minnesota unionists back Utah miners  
 
 
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