All taconite mines on the Iron Range are now union. Workers at Northshore Mining will be joining the United Steelworkers, the union announced this week.

About 400 workers mine taconite in Babbitt, make iron ore pellets in Silver Bay, and transport products and tailings.

“Mining in Minnesota provides essential support for our local communities, our domestic steel industry and our nation’s critical infrastructure,” said USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez, who represents workers in Minnesota and eight other states. “We’re honored that workers at Northshore chose our union.”

Workers elected to join the USW through card check, a process by which a majority of workers indicate their desire for a union.

“Finally, the workers at Northshore in Silver Bay and Babbitt are going to be able to sit at the table and negotiate what’s important to those facilities and have a say with union representation,” said John Arbogast, USW District staff representative. “This goes back to 1989, it’s been 34 years since these people have been able to negotiate a contract. There are local issues that apply to those locations, every facility is different, and now they’ll be able to address those.”

Arbogast said the next step is electing a bargaining committee and determine what the workers would like to see in their first contract.

The USW also represents approximately 2,000 workers at four other Cliffs’ mining facilities in Minnesota and northern Michigan. Northshore Mining was the last remaining taconite mine on Minnesota’s Iron Range without a union.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.