BILLINGS, Mont. — The landlord of the one platinum and palladium mines within the U.S. introduced Thursday it plans to put off masses of staff in Montana because of declining costs for palladium, which is utilized in catalytic converters.The cost of the dear steel was once about $2,300 an oz. two years in the past and has dipped under $1,000 an oz. over the last 3 months, Sibanye-Stillwater Govt Vice President Kevin Robertson mentioned in a letter to staff explaining the estimated 700 layoffs anticipated later this 12 months.”We consider Russian dumping is a explanation for this sharp value dislocation,” he wrote. “Russia produces over 40% of the worldwide palladium provide, and emerging imports of palladium have inundated the U.S. marketplace during the last a number of years.”Sibanye-Stillwater gave staff a 60-day realize of the layoffs, which is needed by means of federal regulation.Montana U.S. Sens. Steve Daines, a Republican, and Jon Tester, a Democrat, mentioned Thursday they’ll introduce regulation to ban the U.S. from uploading vital minerals from Russia, together with platinum and palladium. Daines’ invoice would finish the import ban three hundred and sixty five days after Russia ends its struggle with Ukraine.The south-central Montana mine complicated comprises the Stillwater West and Stillwater East operations close to Nye, and the East Boulder operation south of Large Bushes. It has misplaced greater than $350 million because the starting of 2023, Robertson mentioned, regardless of decreasing manufacturing prices.The corporate is hanging the Stillwater West operations on pause. Additionally it is decreasing operations at East Boulder and at a smelting facility and steel refinery in Columbus. Management will paintings to make stronger efficiencies that would permit the Stillwater West mine to reopen, Robertson mentioned.The layoffs would come a 12 months after the corporate stopped paintings on a spread challenge, laid off 100 employees, left any other 30 jobs unfilled and lowered the volume of labor to be had for contractors because of declining palladium costs.The next was once was once despatched out by means of Gov. Greg Gianforte:
“Lately’s resolution by means of Stillwater Mining is a vital blow to hardworking Montana miners, their households, and our communities. The State of Montana will deliver to undergo each and every to be had useful resource to assist those employees and their households.“It is a difficult time for the mining sector. The continued regulatory attack on mining and herbal assets has confused this vital sector of our economic system. The reality is the US can not and will have to now not need to depend on our international adversaries for power, vital metals, or different assets. The USA should strengthen those industries, and their employees, with a coverage devoted to creating our country power and useful resource dominant and impartial.”The next remark was once despatched out by means of U.S. Sen. Jon Tester:“It’s completely unacceptable that Montanans are dropping their jobs as a result of Russia is dumping vital minerals into the American marketplace to strangle our native operations,” mentioned Tester. “Once I heard that Sibanye-Stillwater was once shedding masses of hardworking Montana miners as a result of this Russian job, I reached out to native officers and the staff to group up and straight away introduce our invoice to prohibit the importation of Russian palladium. This has long gone on for a ways too lengthy, and I will be able to proceed to face with the Montanans who’re being centered by means of this unfair business apply.”The next was once despatched out by means of U.S. Sen. Steve Daines:“Heartbreaking information out of Sibanye-Stillwater Mine as 700 hard-working Montanans are set to lose their jobs because of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ failed insurance policies which might be crushing our power trade. It’s time to make a transformation this November and take again our power independence.”
The Montana Division of Exertions and Business despatched out the next:Early lately, the Montana Division of Exertions and Business (DLI) was once knowledgeable that Sibanye-Stillwater mine intends to put off a good portion of its Montana staff. DLI straight away started coordinating with mine management, representatives from the Montana bankruptcy of United Metal Staff, group leaders, and different executive leaders to broaden a plan to strengthen employees and center of attention assets to reduce the results of the layoff.”Governor Greg Gianforte has directed DLI to strengthen Montana’s hardworking miners and their households as we navigate this crucial blow to our mining group. Within the coming days, DLI will liberate a mining-specific Abilities Matching Software to assist each and every impacted employee determine new employment alternatives, leveraging the abilities they mastered on the mine,” mentioned Commissioner Sarah Swanson. “The use of this device blended with the exemplary paintings of our Task Carrier Personnel Experts, we will be able to assist affected employees navigate employment alternatives, determine any ability gaps had to advance into new careers, and supply investment for any essential coaching techniques had to gain further abilities.”Closure of the Stillwater Mine would have substantial affects felt in the neighborhood in Stillwater and Candy Grass County, with wider regional and statewide affects.The estimated 700 employee layoff would account for roughly 13% of payroll jobs from Stillwater and Candy Grass counties.A 700-job layoff would account for 16% of statewide mining jobs, a vital percentage of jobs in Montana’s perfect paying trade.Jobs within the mining trade paid a mean of over $106,000 in 2023. At this pay stage, those layoffs may just constitute a complete annual salary lack of just about $75 million, 20% of general wages paid in Stillwater and Candy Grass counties blended, affecting employees, their households, and the group.Layoffs would most probably impact employees in every single place the area. Over part of jobs in Stillwater County and 37% in Candy Grass County are labored by means of other people living in close by towns comparable to Billings, Laurel, and Livingston.”Our group will host more than one in-person, onsite fast reaction and occupation truthful occasions in Columbus within the coming weeks and will likely be onsite when layoffs start to verify the Sibanye-Stillwater employees have the equipment had to determine new coaching and employment alternatives and to navigate Montana’s unemployment insurance coverage device,” mentioned Commissioner Swanson.DLI has straight away started pursuing dislocated employee investment from america Division of Exertions to retrain and upskill impacted employees. The DLI group could also be operating intently with hard work unions to higher resolve the wishes of the employees.”Staff throughout Montana have been deeply involved by means of the unexpected announcement previous lately of layoffs at Sibanye-Stillwater,” mentioned Montana AFL-CIO Govt Secretary Jason Small. “This layoff can have a significant and fast have an effect on at the economic system in Central and Jap Montana and the livelihoods of miners and their households. The Montana AFL-CIO is following the lead of USW 11-0001 and the miners at Sibanye Stillwater, who’re preventing to make sure that fast motion is taken at each and every stage of presidency to handle those layoffs and supply strengthen to employees and their households. We’re operating along with the Montana Division of Exertions and Business to verify subject matter strengthen is equipped transferring ahead.”Staff and households with questions concerning the layoff procedure or subsequent steps can touch their native Task Carrier place of business at 406-652-3080.
