USW Reaches Tentative Agreement with U.S. Steel

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union reached a tentative agreement today with U.S. Steel on a new master agreement covering 16,000 workers at facilities across the country.

The union's collective bargaining agreements with U.S. Steel expired on Sept. 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.

"U.S. 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," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "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.

"Every member of this union should be proud of what we've accomplished," said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, the chair of the union's bargaining committee. "This group of workers stood up to a hugely profitable company and demanded a piece of the success they helped to create."

The USW's master agreement with U.S. 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 USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors. 
For more information: www.usw.org.

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)