April 3
US Steel Minntac and Keetac are considered critical manufacturers, therefore we will continue to work through the shelter at home order going into effect tonight. All employees should report to work for their scheduled shifts. HR has developed an Essential Employee Safe Passage letter that you should be able to obtain from your supervisor, this may also be used to get children into daycare if necessary.
Below is a link to the MN unemployment website, the state has covered some of the issues that our employer has fallen short on regarding the Corona virus and its effects on our families and our health and our income.
Steve and I are currently working to try to get some clarifications from the company on the guideline they released yesterday as well as trying to address new issues as they pop up.
In Solidarity
Chad Daniels
US Steel has finally given us their expectations as for how we should handle the COVID-19 virus.
Edit--you will have to use the following link and sign on to your employee portal to view the guidelines set forth by US Steel https://my.uss.com/
Edit--you will have to use the following link and sign on to your employee portal to view the guidelines set forth by US Steel https://my.uss.com/
Applications for the Local 1938 Scholarships are available at the Union hall, or you can download and print the form with the link below👇
| 2020_local_1938_scholorship.pdf |
Scholarship applications must be submitted to the 1938 Union Hall by March 31, 2020 in order to be considered
CHRISTMAS PARTY
We are pleased to announce our Local 1938 Children's Christmas Party
All Children and Grandchildren of active members are formally invited. Kiddie popcorn and a beverage will be provided during the movie.
Santa will hand out candy after the party!
Where: Mtn Iron Cinema 6
When: Saturday, December 14, 2019
Doors open at 8:30 AM
Movies will start as each screen fills up
Movies will be Frozen 2(PG) and Jumanji 2 (PG-13)
USW Local 1938 Wishes everyone a Very Merry Christmas!
All Children and Grandchildren of active members are formally invited. Kiddie popcorn and a beverage will be provided during the movie.
Santa will hand out candy after the party!
Where: Mtn Iron Cinema 6
When: Saturday, December 14, 2019
Doors open at 8:30 AM
Movies will start as each screen fills up
Movies will be Frozen 2(PG) and Jumanji 2 (PG-13)
USW Local 1938 Wishes everyone a Very Merry Christmas!
2019 3rd Quarter Profit Sharing
I apologize for not having an update out sooner but
I’ve been waiting to hear officially what or if we are getting for 3rd quarter profit sharing. As you can imagine it is likely to be a big fat Zero. If there was going to be something for us I would have heard by now. I will update on our fb page and website if something changes but as of now I think it’s safe to say we have nothing coming.
I’ve been waiting to hear officially what or if we are getting for 3rd quarter profit sharing. As you can imagine it is likely to be a big fat Zero. If there was going to be something for us I would have heard by now. I will update on our fb page and website if something changes but as of now I think it’s safe to say we have nothing coming.
JOIN VETERANS OF STEEL
At the 2017 Constitutional Convention our union committed to exploring the creation of Veterans of Steel, a place in the United Steelworkers (USW) where those who served or who are serving our country can find resources, camaraderie, support and a way to fight for core issues such as a fully-funded Veterans Administration (VA) or protecting and creating family-supporting jobs after service.
Click here to go to the sign up page
We’ll send everyone who signs up a free “Veteran of Steel” sticker.
Click here to go to the sign up page
We’ll send everyone who signs up a free “Veteran of Steel” sticker.
U.S. Steel: Here We Go Again?
UPDATE: Steelworkers say Longhi's legacy one of layoffs, cost-cutting
U.S. Steel's Mario Longhi is out as CEO after a disastrous first quarter when the company lost $180 million, triggering a massive sell-off by investors that caused its stock to plunge by as much as 26 percent the next day. LINK to full article...
Mario Longhi to step down as USS CEO
Here is a link to the USW International convention website, Lots of good stuff here!
How to Lose Millions and Still Get Your Bonus - Check out this article from Bloomberg.com
Sisters and Brothers,
Take a look at the bloomberg article below, make sure to click the link to get the full story.
A couple of U.S. Steel Corp. executives had to hit a low bar to get a bonus last year. How low? Their divisions could have lost millions of dollars and they’d still get a fat payout.
Shareholders have long complained about companies that set easy compensation targets for their executives. U.S. Steel’s below-zero benchmarks are especially glaring, but they suggest that the decades-long drive in corporate governance to tie executive pay to companies’ financial performance seems to have met its Waterloo in the highly-volatile commodities sector....
Link to Full Article...
Take a look at the bloomberg article below, make sure to click the link to get the full story.
- U.S. Steel executives were given below-zero benchmarks
- ‘Even the best-conceived formulas fail,’ an analyst says
A couple of U.S. Steel Corp. executives had to hit a low bar to get a bonus last year. How low? Their divisions could have lost millions of dollars and they’d still get a fat payout.
Shareholders have long complained about companies that set easy compensation targets for their executives. U.S. Steel’s below-zero benchmarks are especially glaring, but they suggest that the decades-long drive in corporate governance to tie executive pay to companies’ financial performance seems to have met its Waterloo in the highly-volatile commodities sector....
Link to Full Article...
2016 Q3 Profit Sharing
Looks like we will receive profit sharing of $0.49/hr for the 3rd quarter. which will be $235.20 if you worked the full 480 hrs that were eligible during the quarter.
Why We Fight
#StopTPP
This was yesterday.
NAFTA – a defining trade deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada – took effect in 1994. After more than two decades of refusing to comply with its commitments, the Mexican government’s failures to adequately protect workers’ rights continues to have a direct impact on workers here and there.
“Since the passage of NAFTA, low wages and inadequate workers’ rights (combined with extraordinary investor protections) in Mexico have resulted in billions of dollars of investment by U.S. companies in Mexican operations to serve the U.S. market. . .This has a clear, direct and continuing negative impact on U.S. wages and employment, which the TPP is likely to exacerbate rather than remedy given the U.S.’s failure to insist that Mexico fully comply – in law and in practice – with internationally recognized labor rights before the TPP heads to Congress for a vote.”
- From the “Dissenting Views of Leo W. Gerard, James P. Hoffa and Dennis D. Williams on the Trans Pacific Partnership prepared for the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations”
While the USW will continue our strong partnership with our union allies in Mexico to improve the lives of workers on both sides of the border, we’ll also keep fighting for every job, like the 1,400 being lost in Indiana.
We need you in this fight. #StopTPP
NAFTA – a defining trade deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada – took effect in 1994. After more than two decades of refusing to comply with its commitments, the Mexican government’s failures to adequately protect workers’ rights continues to have a direct impact on workers here and there.
“Since the passage of NAFTA, low wages and inadequate workers’ rights (combined with extraordinary investor protections) in Mexico have resulted in billions of dollars of investment by U.S. companies in Mexican operations to serve the U.S. market. . .This has a clear, direct and continuing negative impact on U.S. wages and employment, which the TPP is likely to exacerbate rather than remedy given the U.S.’s failure to insist that Mexico fully comply – in law and in practice – with internationally recognized labor rights before the TPP heads to Congress for a vote.”
- From the “Dissenting Views of Leo W. Gerard, James P. Hoffa and Dennis D. Williams on the Trans Pacific Partnership prepared for the Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations”
While the USW will continue our strong partnership with our union allies in Mexico to improve the lives of workers on both sides of the border, we’ll also keep fighting for every job, like the 1,400 being lost in Indiana.
We need you in this fight. #StopTPP
PLANT ENTRANCE ROAD UPDATE
County Commissioner Keith Nelson has asked that we pass this update on to you due to the amount of questions his office has received regarding the road leading up to our plant entrance.
Roadway lighting will be operational soon! Parts are on order to make the lights compatible with the power available on site.
Stripes and lane painting will be done this spring.
Roadway lighting will be operational soon! Parts are on order to make the lights compatible with the power available on site.
Stripes and lane painting will be done this spring.
CONTRACT PASSES!
THE VOTES HAVE BEEN COUNTED AND THE NEW CONTRACT PASSED 2-1
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union have ratified a new three-year contract with U.S. Steel that will cover 18,000 workers at more than a dozen facilities across the United States. USW members voted by a greater than 2-to-1 margin to approve the contract, which will take effect immediately.
The two sides reached a tentative agreement in December after six months of often difficult negotiations during an extremely challenging environment for steelmakers across the country. U.S. Steel's opening proposal contained demands for major cuts in pay and benefits, along with changes to work rules and other concessions that could have cost workers and their families thousands of dollars per year. After agreeing to a contract extension, the two sides continued to exchange proposals well past the previous contract's Sept. 1 expiration date.
While the new agreement includes modest changes to active and retiree health care coverage, the union was able to fight off the company's demands for significant premium contributions, as well as other large-scale out-of-pocket increases. The contract keeps wages at their current level, but includes an increase in the USW's profit-sharing percentage, which will allow workers to receive payments when the company bounces back from the current crisis. The agreement also resets supplemental unemployment benefits for laid-off workers.
"The past year has been a difficult one for the steel industry, for USW members, and for manufacturing towns all across this country," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "The key to weathering this crisis is not to attack each other, but to work together to find solutions to our common problems - namely the severe imbalance and unfairness in our trade system. This must be our shared goal as we move forward."
Over the past year, illegally low-priced imports from China and elsewhere, along with global overcapacity and a decline in oil and gas drilling brought on by lower fuel prices, drove prices and demand for steel down and led U.S. Steel and other companies to idle plants and lay off workers at factories around the country.
"I am extremely proud of the solidarity and the commitment to fairness that the Steelworkers showed throughout this process," said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, who led the union's bargaining committee. "These hard-working men and women were determined not to be made scapegoats for what is a global crisis."
Mike Millsap, who serves as USW District 7 director and secretary of the bargaining committee, said the union looked forward to working with U.S. Steel to address the industry's trade imbalance and to position the company and its work force for future success.
"We are proud of the productive relationship we've built with U.S. Steel," Millsap said. "We hope to build on it as we move forward from what has been a very challenging year."
The USW is the largest industrial union in North America, representing workers in a range of industries including metals, mining, rubber, paper and forestry, oil refining, health care, security, hotels, and municipal governments.
CONTACT:
R.J. Hufnagel, (412) 562-2450,
rhufnagel@usw.org
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO
SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)
RELATED LINKS
http://www.usw.org
The two sides reached a tentative agreement in December after six months of often difficult negotiations during an extremely challenging environment for steelmakers across the country. U.S. Steel's opening proposal contained demands for major cuts in pay and benefits, along with changes to work rules and other concessions that could have cost workers and their families thousands of dollars per year. After agreeing to a contract extension, the two sides continued to exchange proposals well past the previous contract's Sept. 1 expiration date.
While the new agreement includes modest changes to active and retiree health care coverage, the union was able to fight off the company's demands for significant premium contributions, as well as other large-scale out-of-pocket increases. The contract keeps wages at their current level, but includes an increase in the USW's profit-sharing percentage, which will allow workers to receive payments when the company bounces back from the current crisis. The agreement also resets supplemental unemployment benefits for laid-off workers.
"The past year has been a difficult one for the steel industry, for USW members, and for manufacturing towns all across this country," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "The key to weathering this crisis is not to attack each other, but to work together to find solutions to our common problems - namely the severe imbalance and unfairness in our trade system. This must be our shared goal as we move forward."
Over the past year, illegally low-priced imports from China and elsewhere, along with global overcapacity and a decline in oil and gas drilling brought on by lower fuel prices, drove prices and demand for steel down and led U.S. Steel and other companies to idle plants and lay off workers at factories around the country.
"I am extremely proud of the solidarity and the commitment to fairness that the Steelworkers showed throughout this process," said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, who led the union's bargaining committee. "These hard-working men and women were determined not to be made scapegoats for what is a global crisis."
Mike Millsap, who serves as USW District 7 director and secretary of the bargaining committee, said the union looked forward to working with U.S. Steel to address the industry's trade imbalance and to position the company and its work force for future success.
"We are proud of the productive relationship we've built with U.S. Steel," Millsap said. "We hope to build on it as we move forward from what has been a very challenging year."
The USW is the largest industrial union in North America, representing workers in a range of industries including metals, mining, rubber, paper and forestry, oil refining, health care, security, hotels, and municipal governments.
CONTACT:
R.J. Hufnagel, (412) 562-2450,
rhufnagel@usw.org
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO
SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)
RELATED LINKS
http://www.usw.org
USW Reaches Tentative Agreement with U.S. Steel
CONTACT: R.J. Hufnagel, (412) 562-2450, rhufnagel@usw.org
PITTSBURGH (December 19) – The United Steelworkers (USW) union’s bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement today on a new contract covering 18,000 workers at more than a dozen facilities across the United States.
The contract is subject to ratification from the members of 26 local unions at those facilities. That process is likely to take several weeks to complete. Details of the agreement will be announced following ratification.
“This has been a difficult year and a difficult round of bargaining, but I am proud of the way the brothers and sisters of the USW stood up and demanded fair treatment,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.
Bargaining between the company and the union began in June, in the midst of a crisis for American steelmakers. Illegally low-priced imports from China and elsewhere, along with a decline in oil and gas drilling brought on by low fuel prices, resulted in overcapacity across the globe. That drove prices and demand for steel down and led U.S. Steel and other companies to idle plants and lay off workers at factories around the country.
U.S. Steel’s opening proposal contained demands for major cuts in pay and benefits, along with changes to work rules and other concessions that could have cost workers and their families thousands of dollars per year. After agreeing to an extension, the two sides continued to exchange proposals well past the previous contract’s Sept. 1 expiration date.
“Our members were determined throughout this process not to be made scapegoats for the problems of unfair trade a global overcapacity,” said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, who chairs the bargaining committee.
Mike Millsap, who serves as USW District 7 director and secretary of the bargaining committee, said the union would continue to work with employers and politicians to address the problem of unfair trade.
“As we move on from a difficult round of bargaining, we look forward to building on this collaborative relationship with the company to address the problems that have led to this crisis,” Millsap said.
The USW is the largest industrial union in North America, representing workers in a range of industries including metals, mining, rubber, paper and forestry, oil refining, health care, security, hotels, and municipal governments.
# # #
CONTACT: R.J. Hufnagel, (412) 562-2450, rhufnagel@usw.org
PITTSBURGH (December 19) – The United Steelworkers (USW) union’s bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement today on a new contract covering 18,000 workers at more than a dozen facilities across the United States.
The contract is subject to ratification from the members of 26 local unions at those facilities. That process is likely to take several weeks to complete. Details of the agreement will be announced following ratification.
“This has been a difficult year and a difficult round of bargaining, but I am proud of the way the brothers and sisters of the USW stood up and demanded fair treatment,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.
Bargaining between the company and the union began in June, in the midst of a crisis for American steelmakers. Illegally low-priced imports from China and elsewhere, along with a decline in oil and gas drilling brought on by low fuel prices, resulted in overcapacity across the globe. That drove prices and demand for steel down and led U.S. Steel and other companies to idle plants and lay off workers at factories around the country.
U.S. Steel’s opening proposal contained demands for major cuts in pay and benefits, along with changes to work rules and other concessions that could have cost workers and their families thousands of dollars per year. After agreeing to an extension, the two sides continued to exchange proposals well past the previous contract’s Sept. 1 expiration date.
“Our members were determined throughout this process not to be made scapegoats for the problems of unfair trade a global overcapacity,” said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, who chairs the bargaining committee.
Mike Millsap, who serves as USW District 7 director and secretary of the bargaining committee, said the union would continue to work with employers and politicians to address the problem of unfair trade.
“As we move on from a difficult round of bargaining, we look forward to building on this collaborative relationship with the company to address the problems that have led to this crisis,” Millsap said.
The USW is the largest industrial union in North America, representing workers in a range of industries including metals, mining, rubber, paper and forestry, oil refining, health care, security, hotels, and municipal governments.
# # #
Tom Conway's response to the USS letter regarding retiree benefits.
All;
As you know we are working under an agreement extension and as a result have not finalized the bargaining regarding the upcoming open enrollment for retiree health care. Given the deadline for open enrollment we have told USS to proceed as if there were no changes in plan design or premium, but as you’ll recall the HMO options were no longer being offered by the HMOs and in some communities that will be an issue as our retired members will need to select the traditional plan. Additionally our over the cap funding mechanism will be exhausted, if no agreement is reached, in the middle of 2016. Should we get to that point and we don’t have additional funding to supplement the company’s obligated payments, we will see increased premiums as described in their attached letter.
This letter will undoubtedly cause some concern among our retirees both pre and post Medicare eligible. I’m certain it will generate questions to you. You should advise our retired members that we are continuing to bargain and we are confident we can head this issue off before the worst happens but given the open enrollment timing requirements we understand the need for some communication to take place with the retirees.
Stay in touch and if anything develops with USS I’ll be in touch and we can regroup here in Pittsburgh. At this stage there hasn’t been significant changes and there’s no sense in us using up scarce resources when the company maintains its unacceptable positions on certain of the issues that remain open. Stay strong.
Tom
As you know we are working under an agreement extension and as a result have not finalized the bargaining regarding the upcoming open enrollment for retiree health care. Given the deadline for open enrollment we have told USS to proceed as if there were no changes in plan design or premium, but as you’ll recall the HMO options were no longer being offered by the HMOs and in some communities that will be an issue as our retired members will need to select the traditional plan. Additionally our over the cap funding mechanism will be exhausted, if no agreement is reached, in the middle of 2016. Should we get to that point and we don’t have additional funding to supplement the company’s obligated payments, we will see increased premiums as described in their attached letter.
This letter will undoubtedly cause some concern among our retirees both pre and post Medicare eligible. I’m certain it will generate questions to you. You should advise our retired members that we are continuing to bargain and we are confident we can head this issue off before the worst happens but given the open enrollment timing requirements we understand the need for some communication to take place with the retirees.
Stay in touch and if anything develops with USS I’ll be in touch and we can regroup here in Pittsburgh. At this stage there hasn’t been significant changes and there’s no sense in us using up scarce resources when the company maintains its unacceptable positions on certain of the issues that remain open. Stay strong.
Tom
A Copy of the USS letter is posted below
PRESIDENT'S REPORT 09/18/2015
HELLO BROTHERS AND SISTERS!
It's great to be back in Minnesota, it's been a long summer for all of us. Our most recent update talked about the negotiating committees coming home, and the status of our contract negotiations. At this point both parties are still communicating as necessary. Unfortunately, that is all the news I can relay today. Keep in mind that there are many rumors being spread around the plant and our communities, Unless you see it here on our website or get it via the update texts through the international, it is only a rumor. To sign up for contract update text messages
text USS to 47486. As always we will keep this website updated as fast as the information is released to us. I'd like to thank you all for your ongoing patience and support!
It's great to be back in Minnesota, it's been a long summer for all of us. Our most recent update talked about the negotiating committees coming home, and the status of our contract negotiations. At this point both parties are still communicating as necessary. Unfortunately, that is all the news I can relay today. Keep in mind that there are many rumors being spread around the plant and our communities, Unless you see it here on our website or get it via the update texts through the international, it is only a rumor. To sign up for contract update text messages
text USS to 47486. As always we will keep this website updated as fast as the information is released to us. I'd like to thank you all for your ongoing patience and support!
How do you really feel? Tom Conway (LINK)
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BELOW IS A COPY OF A LETTER FROM OUR BARGAINING CHAIR TO U.S.STEEL OFFERING TO WORK UNDER THE EXISTING CONTRACT WHILE NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE. U.S.STEEL HAS ACCEPTED OUR OFFER.
A regular contract update will be issued later today, I will post it here as soon as I have a copy of it, we will also distribute in the plant as early as possible.
<<<ATI Lockout Story>>>
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Important information, Questions & Answers about Strikes, Lockouts and Labor disputes >>>LINK<<<
Contract Update 08/07/2015
Steelworkers rallying against ATI for a fair contract !
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U S Steel 2nd Quarter reports show there will be no profit sharing for this quarter.
Contract update from Lowel Carlon:
This has been the third week in Pittsburgh for Arbo, Jack and myself. We have finished Local Issues to the point that a few issues will be sent to the Top Table for further review.
Right now there are three main committees we are working on: Arbo is on Contract language, Jack and I are on Healthcare/Benefits, and I am on the Safety Committee. As more proposals get put on the table from each committee there will be sub-committees put together to deal with each issue as needed.
As of today the Company has recalled all Plant MTM’s and Ironworkers for a total of 68 returning. All maintenance will be returning to a 40 hour week starting the week of July 26. The majority of the projects, including the Line 5 Agglomerator rebuild, the Concentrator and Fines Crusher maintenance projects, can be finished prior to full startup. We have been fielding a few calls about maintenance working a 40 hour week while operations is still on a 32 hour week and members still on layoff. I would like to remind our members that until maintenance projects are complete, like the line 5 rebuild, we will not be running at capacity. That’s the way it has always been and probably always will be. Over the next two weeks all employees on layoff should be recalled.
Finally, I would like to thank our sisters and brothers for your support and patience going through this rough stretch. We can make it through just about anything if we work together as a Union.
Refer for updates as they come up at our Facebook page, website (local1938.org) and USS bargaining text alerts (to sign up for that send a text to 47486 and enter the letters USS, hit send.)
In Solidarity,
Lowell Carlon
Right now there are three main committees we are working on: Arbo is on Contract language, Jack and I are on Healthcare/Benefits, and I am on the Safety Committee. As more proposals get put on the table from each committee there will be sub-committees put together to deal with each issue as needed.
As of today the Company has recalled all Plant MTM’s and Ironworkers for a total of 68 returning. All maintenance will be returning to a 40 hour week starting the week of July 26. The majority of the projects, including the Line 5 Agglomerator rebuild, the Concentrator and Fines Crusher maintenance projects, can be finished prior to full startup. We have been fielding a few calls about maintenance working a 40 hour week while operations is still on a 32 hour week and members still on layoff. I would like to remind our members that until maintenance projects are complete, like the line 5 rebuild, we will not be running at capacity. That’s the way it has always been and probably always will be. Over the next two weeks all employees on layoff should be recalled.
Finally, I would like to thank our sisters and brothers for your support and patience going through this rough stretch. We can make it through just about anything if we work together as a Union.
Refer for updates as they come up at our Facebook page, website (local1938.org) and USS bargaining text alerts (to sign up for that send a text to 47486 and enter the letters USS, hit send.)
In Solidarity,
Lowell Carlon
Arcelor Mittal has given their proposal to the international, check out the highlights
in the link below.
July 07, 2015 Update
| ussteelupdate0706.pdf |
June 18, 2015 Update
About 100 USW leaders, representing thousands of workers from U. S. Steel facilities around the United States, kicked off contract talks during a series of meetings in Pittsburgh on June 16 and 17.
The members first met privately to map out the union's plan for bargaining a new master agreement, then gathered for a presentation from U. S. Steel representatives outlining the state of the industry and the company. While USW and U. S. Steel leaders agreed that industry conditions - particularly the effects of unfair trade - will make this round of bargaining difficult, both sides also expressed an interest in working together to combat those issues and reach a fair agreement.
We Won't Turn our Backs
While we recognize that the current climate is difficult, we refuse to allow the company to use that as an excuse to attack the union. We are committed to having an honest and open dialogue and working together toward creative solutions. We have faced bad times in the past and made it through them together. We will do the same this time, without turning our backs on the workers and retirees who have helped to build this union and this company.
USW leaders are now on their way back to their home locals to begin bargaining over issues specific to each site, including problems involving labor relations both with retirees and active workers, scheduling, contracting out, and training, among others.
Our Solidarity is Our Strength
On July 6, the committee will return to Pittsburgh to begin bargaining a new master agreement to replace our current three-year contract that expires on Sept. 1. These talks will include issues of wages, benefits, safety, health care and pensions.
Thanks to years of hard work by our union brothers and sisters, U. S. Steel jobs are among the best in the industry. They are jobs that support families and make for thriving communities. With the strength, solidarity and wisdom of our members behind us, we are determined to make sure this doesn't change. By standing together, working hard and staying strong, we know we can succeed.
In Solidarity,
Your 2015 U. S. Steel Bargaining Committee
About 100 USW leaders, representing thousands of workers from U. S. Steel facilities around the United States, kicked off contract talks during a series of meetings in Pittsburgh on June 16 and 17.
The members first met privately to map out the union's plan for bargaining a new master agreement, then gathered for a presentation from U. S. Steel representatives outlining the state of the industry and the company. While USW and U. S. Steel leaders agreed that industry conditions - particularly the effects of unfair trade - will make this round of bargaining difficult, both sides also expressed an interest in working together to combat those issues and reach a fair agreement.
We Won't Turn our Backs
While we recognize that the current climate is difficult, we refuse to allow the company to use that as an excuse to attack the union. We are committed to having an honest and open dialogue and working together toward creative solutions. We have faced bad times in the past and made it through them together. We will do the same this time, without turning our backs on the workers and retirees who have helped to build this union and this company.
USW leaders are now on their way back to their home locals to begin bargaining over issues specific to each site, including problems involving labor relations both with retirees and active workers, scheduling, contracting out, and training, among others.
Our Solidarity is Our Strength
On July 6, the committee will return to Pittsburgh to begin bargaining a new master agreement to replace our current three-year contract that expires on Sept. 1. These talks will include issues of wages, benefits, safety, health care and pensions.
Thanks to years of hard work by our union brothers and sisters, U. S. Steel jobs are among the best in the industry. They are jobs that support families and make for thriving communities. With the strength, solidarity and wisdom of our members behind us, we are determined to make sure this doesn't change. By standing together, working hard and staying strong, we know we can succeed.
In Solidarity,
Your 2015 U. S. Steel Bargaining Committee
June 3, 2015 Update
On Friday, May 29th we were informed that the Department of Labor issued a Certification of Eligibility granting us (TAA) Trade Adjustment Assistance. We will be providing details on the granted benefits once they become available to us.
Voluntary Layoff FAQ
Before you go on a VLO you will required to use up your full week vacations, you can keep single that remain left over.
Once you sign up for the VLO you may not change your mind, also if you do not sign up by Monday May 11 you will not be able to sign up at a later time
Employees who are not laid off must be given 60 days notice before you can be forced to use your vacation.
Please refer to pg. 149 of the contract book for the the full details on the layoff minimization plan.
Once you sign up for the VLO you may not change your mind, also if you do not sign up by Monday May 11 you will not be able to sign up at a later time
Employees who are not laid off must be given 60 days notice before you can be forced to use your vacation.
Please refer to pg. 149 of the contract book for the the full details on the layoff minimization plan.
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