Grupo México SAB de CV's ASARCO LLC unit is facing a strike at its copper operations in Arizona and Texas after unions rejected the company's final contract offer, the Arizona Daily Star and Fastmarkets MB reported.
The unions, led by United Steelworkers, have slammed ASARCO's offer, which reportedly did not include wage increases while making cuts to the workers' health insurance and other benefits, according to an Oct. 8 report by the Arizona Daily Star. ASARCO did not respond to the newspaper's requests for comment.
A strike vote is scheduled Oct. 11, according to an Oct. 10 Fastmarkets MB report. The unions represent more than 2,000 hourly workers at five of ASARCO's facilities, the daily reported.
According to ASARCO's website, the company's Mission, Silver Bell and Ray copper mines in Arizona produce about 350 million to 400 million pounds of copper per annum, while its Hayden smelter in the state produces about 500 Mlbs of anodes per year.
ASARCO's Amarillo copper refinery in Texas, along with its Ray SX-EW and Silver Bell SX-EW plants, produce about 375 million pounds of refined copper per year.
