ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota House of Representatives approved legislation today that provides a $10 million extension of unemployment benefits for roughly 400 miners laid off from Cleveland-Cliffs Northshore Mining operations last May. Communities directly impacted by the layoffs include Silver Bay and Babbitt, both of which are in House District 3A—Represented by Rep. Roger Skraba, R-Ely,
“Today’s vote shows that we can accomplish great things when we work together and put the needs of Minnesotans first,” said Skraba. “This bill is going to help hundreds of miners in our area that have faced significant financial hardships through no fault of their own. It’s the right thing to do for these folks and their families and I am encouraged that we could get this done in the first month of the legislative session. It is my hope that this can bridge the gap until both the Peter Mitchell Mine in Babbitt and the processing facility in Silver Bay can get up and running.”
The bill was approved by a vote of 127-7 and will now head to Gov. Walz for his signature.
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