Mine layoffs affect contract employees, not Freeport miners

By Diane Saunders
Staff Writer
Published on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:34 AM MST

While contractors at several Freeport-McMoRan Cooper & Gold mines in Arizona have laid off employees, no Freeport employees have received the dreaded pink slip.

“There have not been any layoffs of any Freeport employees in North America,” Freeport spokesman Richard Peterson said Friday.

Peterson said contract companies at some mine sites in Arizona and New Mexico have laid off employees. These workers are employed by the contract companies — not Freeport.

Last week, Freeport’s third-quarter report showed net income was down by nearly a third from a year ago and stock prices are in a decline. The report, released Oct. 21, covered the three-month period from July 1 through Sept. 30.

The report also stated Freeport is deferring expansion of its mines at Sierrita and Bagdad and delaying the planned restart of the Miami mine.

Mike Crockett, dean of instruction at the Eastern Arizona College, said Friday that the contractor layoffs have had no impact on Freeport’s training center in Thatcher, which is operated by the college.

Crockett said there are plans to expand the training program for mining occupations next year.

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Comments

2 comment(s)

safford curious wrote on Oct 31, 2008 5:35 AM:

" Friday should be D day for workers "

PimaTwo wrote on Oct 30, 2008 9:41 AM:

" Copper prices are below $2.00 a lb. on the market. This should be the barometer of what Freeport will be doing and when. "

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