Cliffs, UAW Ratify New Contract at Rockport Works

“Our union workforce is at the core of not just what we do but American manufacturing as a whole, and we are pleased to continue our commitment to good-paying, middle-class jobs with a new labor agreement at Rockport,” Cliffs Chairman, President and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said.

Cliffs and Rockport are major suppliers to the automotive industry. Rockport is home to an 80-inch-wide galvanizing line – the widest in the country – with revolutionary proprietary technologies, including induction transition heating, which provides rapid, accurate annealing temperature control.

“Our local team at Rockport is committed to the long-term health and success of our company, our country, and our environment, and as such we were able to get a deal done that is fair and equitable for both sides,” Goncalves added. “We embrace our unions as partners and allow for participation in our success. Our partnership is a powerful one, and with this latest deal, we will maintain our competitive cost structure in flat-rolled steel relative to any of our peers.”

Cleveland-Cliffs claims to be the largest flat-rolled steel producer and the largest supplier of steel to the auto industry in North America. Headquartered in Cleveland, the company is vertically integrated from mined raw materials and direct reduced iron to primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling and tubing. It employs approximately 25,000 workers serving a diverse range of markets.

By David Schollaert, David@SteelMarketUpdate.com