SWEETGRASS COUNTY — Miners at the East Boulder Mine in Sweetgrass County have reached a contract agreement with Sibanye-Stillwater.
The miners avoided a strike and negotiated for better health insurance premiums and bonuses. The new contract gives workers a 4.5% wage increase this year and a cost-of-living or 3% increase — whichever is higher — for 2027 and 2028.
Sibanye-Stillwater mine official Heather McDowell said the mine has the best health benefits in the country for its workers, saying she's thankful that union and mine officials were able to come to an agreement.
Meanwhile, miners at the Stillwater Mine in Nye remain on strike and have not had any negotiations since Sept. 17. McDowell said she hopes the East Boulder contract agreement will encourage the Nye miners to come back to the table and negotiate a contract to end the strike.
More than 400 miners and workers at Sibanye-Stillwater's operations in Nye and the Metallurgical Complex, also known as the smelter, in Columbus were set to strike on Sept. 7 as contract negotiations between the United Steelworkers union and the company broke down. Only the miners in Nye walked off the job and continue to be on strike.
Related:
Sibanye-Stillwater workers set to strike Thursday at smelter and Nye mine
Stillwater Mine union workers gather for town hall as contract negotiations continue
