Steel Mills

USW Unhappy With Insurance Proposal by US Steel
Written by Sandy Williams
August 6, 2015
Contract negotiations are continuing between US Steel and the United Steel Workers. The USW negotiation team was less than thrilled with the proposal received from management last week.
A USW update to members stated, “The USW negotiating team explained that the union would be flexible and willing to solve problems, but that the USW was not interested in large employee health care premiums or the dramatic deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums laid out in the company’s proposed Consumer Driven Health Care Plan (CDHP).”
US Steel is looking for cost savings in health and benefits that include increasing premiums, deductibles and out-of pocket expenses.
Medicare covered retirees would receive a credit of $1,150 to buy supplemental coverage, a proposal that the USW is “deeply skeptical of.”
The negotiating team submitted a counterproposal that includes:
• 3-month health insurance continuation for junior employees on layoff;
• Health care continuation for dependents of employees killed in workplace accidents;
• SUB benefit duration recharge for each subsequent layoff;
• SPT contribution for employees working 32 layoff minimization schedules; and
• Pension improvements.
The update from the USW said, “We also reminded the company that a good benefit package allows it to recruit and retain the kind of highly skilled and committed work force necessary to innovate and compete in the global marketplace.”
The current contract expiration date is September 1.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills

Cleveland-Cliffs quietly removes name from Steelton mill
The Cleveland-Cliffs name has been removed from its idled Steelton rail mill. SMU asked Cliffs about the move and if it might signal that it is selling the mill...

Nucor sees sequentially lower Q3 profits across all three business segments
Nucor's third-quarter earnings will be down quarter-over-quarter, but still higher than a year earlier.

Hyundai still on for Louisiana steel mill despite US raid at Georgia battery plant
Hyundai has reaffirmed its commitment to build a steel plant in Louisiana following a US government immigration raid at its battery facility in Georgia.

Hybar lowers output forecast, owning up to EAF startup delay
Hybar LLC’s rebar mill in Osceola, Ark., is now melting scrap and will soon be fulfilling orders, according to CEO David Stickler, despite a six-to-eight-week delay caused by commissioning the world’s first Aura electrical system.

Steel Dynamics guides to more metal, more money in Q3
Steel Dynamics Inc. is bullish heading into the close of the third quarter, with all three of its operating segments tracking higher.