Metal & Oil & Gas News – Nctv.net
Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union reached a tentative agreement with US Steel on a new master agreement covering 16,000 workers at facilities across the country. The USW’s master agreement with US Steel covers a total of more than 16,000 workers at the following locations: Clairton Works (Pennsylvania), East Chicago Tin (Indiana), Fairfield (Alabama), Fairfield Southern (Alabama), Fairless Hills (Pennsylvania), Gary Works (Indiana), Granite City Works (Illinois), Great Lakes Works (Michigan), Keetac (Minnesota), Lone Star Tubular (Texas), Lorain Tubular (Ohio), Midwest Plant (Indiana), Minntac (Minnesota) and Mon Valley Works (Pennsylvania).
The union’s collective bargaining agreements with US Steel expired on September 1, but USW members agreed to work under an extension as bargaining continued. The two sides began negotiations in July.
The previous agreement, reached during a downturn in the steel industry, contained a three-year wage freeze. In early September, as the company continued to insist upon major concessions from the work force, members voted unanimously to authorize a strike.
David B. Burritt, President and Chief Executive Officer of US Steel, said “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 US Steel’s customers, stockholders and other stakeholders. 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 US Steel to remain a leader in the highly competitive global steel industry.”
USW International President Leo W. Gerard said “US 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. It’s a testament to the power of solidarity that these workers were able to stand up with one voice and demand fair treatment.”
USW members will hold meetings in the coming weeks to review and discuss the tentative contract before casting their votes.
Source : STRATEGIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE, STEELGURU
Yaang Pipe Industry Co., Limited (www.yaang.com)
