Steel Products
USW and U.S. Steel Reach Tentative Agreement
Written by Sandy Williams
October 15, 2018
United Steelworkers at U.S. Steel have reached a tentative agreement on a four-year labor contract with the mill, avoiding a potential strike. USW officials said the contract will allow workers and management to move forward in a way “that allows us to share in the company’s success.”
“The company came to the bargaining table this summer intent on forcing us all to accept a bad agreement,” wrote the USW in a member update.” What they failed to consider was that the members of this union never back down from a fight. Thanks to all of you, we were able to reach a tentative agreement that includes none of the regressive, concessionary demands the company was prepared to shove down our throats. That is solidarity in action.”
“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the USW we believe is fair and in the best long-term interests of our employees and their families, as well as U.S. Steel’s customers, stockholders and other stakeholders,” said David B. Burritt, President and CEO of U.S. Steel. “Together, we’ve agreed on terms that will create certainty and stability for our many stakeholders, enable our company to implement our long-term business strategy, which includes continued, responsible investments in our people and plants, and position U. S. Steel to remain a leader in the highly competitive global steel industry.”
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“U.S. Steel began this process insisting upon deep concessions from a group of workers who had already made major sacrifices to help the company through a very difficult time,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “It’s a testament to the power of solidarity that these workers were able to stand up with one voice and demand fair treatment.”
The agreement covers more than 16,000 workers at U.S. Steel’s domestic flat-rolled and iron ore mining facilities and the company’s tubular operations in Fairfield, Ala., Lorain, Ohio and Lone Star, Texas.
A summary of the agreement will be released in the next few days for review by union members before a ratification vote.
Sandy Williams
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The difference: The spat with Turkey was a big deal for steel. This time, the 50% reciprocal tariff for Brazil – if it goes into effect as threatened on Aug.1 – hits everything from coffee and to pig iron. It seems almost custom-built to inflict as much pain as possible on Brazil.