Steel Mills
NLMK USA, USW Reach Tentative Labor Deal
Written by Michael Cowden
February 18, 2021
NLMK USA has reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers at its operations in western Pennsylvania, according to both company and union leaders. If ratified, the pact would bring an end to a strike that began nearly six months ago.
“We reached a tentative agreement today. … We are optimistic that today’s actions will lead to a ratification vote,” NLMK USA President and CEO Robert D. Miller said in an email.
USW District 10 Staff Representative Todd Clary confirmed that the union had reached an agreement with the steelmaker. He did not provide further comment.
USW District 10 includes the state of Pennsylvania. Workers at Local 1016-3, which represents more than 400 employees at NLMK USA’s Pennsylvania operations, have been on strike since Aug. 22.
NLMK USA operates an electric-arc furnace mill in Portage, Ind., in addition to its slab-rerolling and downstream sheet processing operations in Pennsylvania.
The company has continued production in Pennsylvania with salaried staff as well as replacement workers, but is not able to run as many shifts as it could with a full contingent of hourly workers.
And NLMK USA’s financial performance suffered in the fourth quarter because of the one-two punch of the labor action and shortage of duty-free slabs. The company to date has been unable to fully capitalize on record steel prices.
Steel Market Update’s average hot-rolled coil price stands at $1,200 per ton ($60/cwt), a new all-time high. That figure is up 18.8% from $1,010 per ton in early January and up 172.7% from a 2020 low, recorded in August, of $440 per ton.
By Michael Cowden, Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com
Michael Cowden
Read more from Michael CowdenLatest 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.