Steel Mills
USW Ratifies Labor Deal with US Steel
Written by David Schollaert
December 20, 2022
US Steel Corp. and the United Steelworkers (USW) union announced on Tuesday they have agreed to a new labor pact after USW members ratified the terms of a new, four-year collective agreement.
The USW-represented employees — roughly 11,0000 across 13 US Steel flat-rolled, iron ore mining, and tubular operations — voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of ratifying the new labor deal. It does not apply to workers at the company’s Big River Steel works in Arkansas, which is a non-union facility.
The new deal features major wage and benefit improvements, said USW International president Thomas Conway.
“We fought back against the company’s schemes to weaken our contract and change our benefits,” Conway said. “As a result, our members have won major economic and contract language improvements that will improve the standard of living of USW members and their families.”
US Steel confirmed the new pact had been ratified, outlining the details of the agreement.
“We are pleased to have reached these agreements with our USW-represented employees,” David Burritt, US Steel president and CEO, said in a news release. “The new agreements balance the needs of our employees, customers, stockholders, and other stakeholders.”
The new labor pact is retroactive to Sept. 1, and runs through Sept. 1, 2026.
It includes a 21% base wage increase, better healthcare with no premiums, as well as improved retirement benefits. It also includes an additional holiday, better vacation benefits, parental leave, and a $4,000 bonus.
“With the new contract ratified, union members will be safer at work and our jobs and benefits more secure than they have been in the past,” said Michael Millsap, USW District 7 director.
The agreement also commits US Steel to make $1 billion in capital investments in its USW-represented facilities over the life of the contract.
By David Schollaert, David@SteelMarketUpdate.com
David Schollaert
Read more from David SchollaertLatest in Steel Mills
USW seeks clarity on USS plans for Granite City Works
The United Steelworkers union has asked U.S. Steel to elaborate on its Granite City Works plans following reports that the steelmaker is ending processing at the facility.
Nucor maintains plate prices, opens October order book
Nucor aims to keep plate prices flat for a seventh straight month with the opening of its October order book.
ArcelorMittal Mexico to import from sister mills as it works to resume DRI production
ArcelorMittal has partially restarted operations at its direct reduction plant in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan. An explosion on Aug. 18 rocked the massive steelworks on Mexico’s Pacific coast, impacting production of direct-reduced iron (DRI).
Fall maintenance outages are coming in hot
Labor Day has passed, the sun is starting to set a little earlier each day, and cooler weather has begun to find its way down to many of us across North America. And you know what that means for the steel industry… Fall maintenance outages!
AISI: Domestic steel production ticks up
US raw steel production ticked up in the week ending on Sept. 6 after a decrease the week before, according to the most recent data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).