Steelworkers at most Iron Range taconite plants await word from Pittsburgh where their union leaders are negotiating with Cliffs Natural Resources, U.S. Steel and Arcelor-Mittal, over a new contract. The current labor contract expires at midnight Friday. At least one major taconite producer, Cliffs, is preparing to bring in temporary workers if negotiations fail to produce a new contract.

These sorts of “ticking clock” moments often occur around contract negotiation time. Word on the ground is that union and management are confident a deal will be reached. But we are just a few days away from this deadline and no one is reporting the exact status of the negotiations.

Several thousand workers would be affected if there is no contract.