The United Steelworkers (USW) has ratified a new, five-year labour agreement with Kennecott Utah Copper, covering more than 1 300 hourly workers at the Rio Tinto subsidiary's mine in Salt Lake county.
The new contract includes gains for workers that include lump sum payments, wage increases in each year, as well as other contract improvements, and it maintains and improves health and life insurance benefits.
While the USW represents about 900 of the hourly workers at Kennecott, others employees covered by the contract include members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Workers at Kennecott rejected a previous contract offer from the company on March 18.
Many terms of the newly ratified agreement will take effect immediately, and it is scheduled to expire on April 1, 2027.
Rio Tinto Kennecott MD Gaby Poirier said the company had worked closely and productively with the unions to reach the agreement.
"The agreement will ensure that we can continue to provide competitive wages and benefits for all roles, and will allow Kennecott to pursue an exciting future as a leading domestic copper supplier in the United States.”
The Kennecott copper mine employs more than 2 000 workers and contributes $1.6-billion a year to Utah’s economy.