TUCSON, Ariz.—Teamsters General President James Hoffa joined striking ASARCO workers the picket line in Sahuarita Dec. 29, telling them their struggle is an “a national strike.” “This company is owned by a Mexican company that’s exploiting the American workers,” he said. “They haven’t had a raise in 10 years… and this is from a company, ASARCO, that made a billion dollars last year.” “It’s totally helping us out, making sure we are heard and not left out here in the middle of the desert,” striker Roy Robles told KOLD-TV. “It’s for labor across America. Because right now, corporations are so greedy it’s unreal.” The about 1,700 workers at ASARCO mines in Arizona and Texas, represented by seven unions, walked out in mid-October after rejecting a contract offer that would have doubled their out-of-pocket expenditures for health care. There have been no further negotiations since mid-November, Teamsters Local 104 secretary-treasurer Karla Schumann said. ASARCO has been running the mines with strikebreakers. State legislators who joined Hoffa said they plan to introduce several bills in January intended to protect workers and their families. Read more
