Arizona Copper Mine Strike (1983)

Sat Jul 30, 1983

Image: Employees at Phelps Dodge Corp’s Morenci mine were greeted by yelling strikers and their supporters on Aug. 9th, 1983. Photo by Mari Schaefer, 1983 [uapress.arizona.edu]

On this day in 1983, workers of the copper-producing Phelps Dodge Corporation in Arizona went on strike, beginning a bitter strike that lasted three years, defeated in the biggest mass de-certification of unions in U.S. history.

The Arizona Copper Mine Strike of 1983 took place in the context of a global drop in copper prices, and began after negotiations between Phelps Dodge and their workers fell through.

The labor action lasted nearly three years and was a major turning point in U.S. labor history - Phelps Dodge managed to keep copper production going during the strike, most of the striking workers were permanently replaced, and 35 locals of 13 different unions representing Phelps Dodge workers were decertified in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, the largest mass de-certification in U.S. history.

Although there had been no fatalities during the strike, various acts and threats of violence increased the political pressure on Democratic Governor Bruce Babbitt to intervene. Despite having stated “Phelps Dodge has the worst record in labor relations of any company that has ever operated in Arizona”, Babbitt sent 750 National Guard and state police officers to the area to protect business operations.

After a crowd of 1,000 armed protesters shut down the copper plant on threat of violence, ten strikers were arrested in Ajo and charged with rioting, further weakening the strike. The strike officially ended on February 19th, 1986, when the National Labor Relations Board rejected appeals from the unions attempting to halt decertification.

• Date: 1983-07-30
• Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, uapress.arizona.edu.
• Tags: #Labor.
• Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org