Steel Products
USW Seeks Strike Authorization from U.S. Steel Workers
Written by Sandy Williams
September 1, 2018
The United Steelworkers’ negotiating committee for U.S. Steel employees will be returning home to present informational meetings to members and seek a strike authorization vote.
U.S. Steel’s demand for a six-year contract with deep concessions and minimal wage increases has been rejected by the USW bargaining committee. The offered bonus and wage increase in the first three years will be offset by healthcare premiums and higher deductibles, said the USW.
“Hopefully a strike will not be necessary, but the company continues to ignore the workforce’s needs and to commit illegal practices on a daily basis during the bargaining. You’ve shown your solidarity in the rallies this week, and we need to demonstrate it again with the strike authorization votes,” the USW told members.
U.S. Steel workers will continue regular work schedules while union officials continue negotiations. The USW will provide management with a 48-hour notice of any strike in order to safely cease operations.
Negotiations at ArcelorMittal have made little progress, said the USW in an update to members. The latest proposal from the company is a three-year contract with wage increases of 2 percent in the first year and 1.5 percent each year thereafter, as well as a signing bonus of about $1,980 after taxes. Proposed healthcare and other concessions, however, will result in costing the average hourly employee approximately $2,265 per year or $6,795 over the contract period.
“Unless the character and direction of our contract negotiations with ArcelorMittal change quickly and dramatically, we will plan to schedule membership meetings at all locations during the month of September to discuss our next steps,” wrote the USW bargaining committee in its update to ArcelorMittal employees.
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Sandy Williams
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