Contract talks are warming up along with summer temperatures involving the United Steelworkers and representatives from ArcelorMittal USA and United States Steel Corporation.
A union negotiating committee plans to continue meetings with ArcelorMittal leaders next week in Pittsburgh to help forge a new collective bargaining agreement. Separate union negotiations with U.S. Steel and mining company Cliffs Natural Resources Inc also are expected to continue. Four year contracts with all three companies expire September 1st 2012.
Mr Jim Robinson, USW District 7 director and secretary of the negotiating committee with ArcelorMittal, said that "We're still in the issue identification stage." He added that the union is gathering information on what issues from the local level have to be presented to the company and is in the early stages of forming its positions.
In an update sent to USW members, union officials said plant specific issues are being discussed with plant managers. Subcommittees have been formed to discuss company-wide issues such as health care, shop floor flexibility and capital investment needs. Committees to discuss contract language, office and technical employees, contracting work to external sources and training and apprenticeship soon will meet with company management as well.
The update note said recent talks were generally positive in tone. However, ArcelorMittal and the union will have to find common ground for contentious matters following the tone of early proposals.
United Steelworkers leaders acknowledged that US Steel and ArcelorMittal are concerned about the state of the industry and want to control their costs to remain competitive with domestic steelmakers and those outside the United States.
For the Pittsburgh based US Steel, the union said in early June 2012 that the company wanted to control rising health care costs and retirement benefits for active employees and retirees. Discussions about wages and benefits are expected to continue this month and next between the company and the union. Union locals for US Steel facilities already have discussed issues including progressive discipline, excessive overtime and safety.
Source - www.nwitimes.com
(www.steelguru.com)
