Steel Mills
USW Contract Negotiations Continue, ATI Lockout Ending 2nd Month
Written by Sandy Williams
October 13, 2015
Contract negotiations continue to progress at ArcelorMittal and US Steel but at a very slow rate. The USW reported that the ArcelorMittal bargaining committee reached a “basic understanding with the company on some non-economic issues.”
At US Steel talks are at an impasse with the USW resisting concession demands. The bargaining committee headed home last weekend to provide status reports to local unions.
“Unfortunately, U.S. Steel continues to demand deep concessions, and the company has yet to move away from some of its most onerous proposals,” wrote the USW in an update to members “Also, the company has issued more WARN notices in anticipation of further layoffs, and we are awaiting more details about those decisions.”
“Our committee is well aware of the current crisis in the steel industry, and we are working hard to fight back against the effects of unfair trade, currency manipulation and global overcapacity. However, the changes that U.S. Steel is seeking at the bargaining table are unrelated to the current market crisis.”
“We will not be forced to accept harmful long-term concessions in response to a temporary crisis. Our bargaining committee is ready and willing to engage in meaningful and balanced discussions, but we are not interested in proposals that would gut our agreements and shift heavy costs to our active and retired members and their families.”
Workers at Allegheny Technologies have been on the picket line for two months after being locked out by ATI management on August 15. ATI reports most of its 12 plants are operating at pre-lockout levels using salaried and replacement workers.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
Cliffs unveils new hydrogen-powered stainless line in Ohio
CEO Lourenco Goncalves, flanked by state leaders and union reps, touted the project as proof that US manufacturing is not only alive, but also advancing.
Cliffs idles Steelton, Riverdale, and Conshohocken operations
Cliffs has idled facilities in Riverdale, Ill., and Conshohocken and Steelton, Pa.
Radius loss narrows, volumes climb in ‘healthy’ West Coast market
Stronger steel demand in the Western US, rising scrap flows, and improved rolling mill utilization drove sequential gains for Portland, Ore.-based Radius Recycling.
AISI: Raw steel production backs off multi-year high
US raw steel output edged lower last week after hitting a multi-year high in mid-June, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Private equity firm Atlas Holdings to acquire Evraz North America
Atlas Holdings said it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Evraz North America (Evraz NA). The Greenwich, Conn.-based private equity firm said it expects the deal for the Chicago-based steelmaker to close in the second quarter of 2025 subject to various closing condition.