Synopsis: The United Steelworkers union in the US and European metals trade union IndustriAll have called for a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum that prioritizes workers' rights while addressing issues like excess capacity and carbon emissions. They insist that participating nations must respect international workers' rights and ensure that state aid related to decarbonization efforts doesn't worsen global excess capacity. This call comes ahead of an EU-US summit set to announce a new bilateral agreement on sustainable steel and aluminum.Article: In a joint effort to secure a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA), the United Steelworkers union in the United States and the European metals trade union IndustriAll have called for a pact that places workers' rights at its core. The proposal, presented in a letter addressed to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, highlights the importance of safeguarding workers' rights alongside addressing nonmarket excess capacity and carbon emissions.This call for an inclusive and worker-centric agreement precedes the anticipated announcement of a new bilateral agreement on sustainable steel and aluminum during an EU-US summit on October 20. The United States and the European Union have set a deadline of October 31 to finalize the agreement, which also opens the possibility for like-minded economies to participate in the arrangement.The unions stress that interested partners should only be eligible to join the GASSA if they respect international workers' rights. This stance is based on the principle that compromising working standards and conditions to maintain competitiveness is unacceptable. Additionally, they advocate for ending unfair state aid and insist that any aid linked to decarbonization efforts must come with social conditions that do not exacerbate global excess capacity.The United States and the European Union, the unions note, have the potential to become global leaders in the efforts to decarbonize the steel and nonferrous sectors. However, the success of the GASSA relies on robust and responsive trade defense measures. It should also encourage global producers to meet or exceed shared environmental standards that combat climate change while upholding internationally recognized and democratic labor rights.The unions reference a September report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Steel Committee, which projected global steel production to reach 2.5 billion metric tons in 2023. This projection includes a significant annual increase of 56 million metric tons, marking the largest expansion in a decade.The unions emphasize that the era of cheap steel and nonferrous metals flooding open markets under unfair market conditions must come to an end.Conclusion: The United Steelworkers union in the United States and European metals trade union IndustriAll are jointly advocating for a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA) that prioritizes workers' rights. Their call, directed to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, underlines the significance of respecting international workers' rights while addressing concerns related to excess capacity and carbon emissions. This initiative aligns with the potential for the US and the European Union to lead in decarbonization efforts within the steel and nonferrous sectors. The unions stress the importance of inclusive and worker-centric agreements in a global context.
Synopsis: The United Steelworkers union in the US and European metals trade union IndustriAll have called for a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum that prioritizes workers' rights while addressing issues like excess capacity and carbon emissions. They insist that participating nations must respect international workers' rights and ensure that state aid related to decarbonization efforts doesn't worsen global excess capacity. This call comes ahead of an EU-US summit set to announce a new bilateral agreement on sustainable steel and aluminum.Article: In a joint effort to secure a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA), the United Steelworkers union in the United States and the European metals trade union IndustriAll have called for a pact that places workers' rights at its core. The proposal, presented in a letter addressed to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, highlights the importance of safeguarding workers' rights alongside addressing nonmarket excess capacity and carbon emissions.This call for an inclusive and worker-centric agreement precedes the anticipated announcement of a new bilateral agreement on sustainable steel and aluminum during an EU-US summit on October 20. The United States and the European Union have set a deadline of October 31 to finalize the agreement, which also opens the possibility for like-minded economies to participate in the arrangement.The unions stress that interested partners should only be eligible to join the GASSA if they respect international workers' rights. This stance is based on the principle that compromising working standards and conditions to maintain competitiveness is unacceptable. Additionally, they advocate for ending unfair state aid and insist that any aid linked to decarbonization efforts must come with social conditions that do not exacerbate global excess capacity.The United States and the European Union, the unions note, have the potential to become global leaders in the efforts to decarbonize the steel and nonferrous sectors. However, the success of the GASSA relies on robust and responsive trade defense measures. It should also encourage global producers to meet or exceed shared environmental standards that combat climate change while upholding internationally recognized and democratic labor rights.The unions reference a September report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Steel Committee, which projected global steel production to reach 2.5 billion metric tons in 2023. This projection includes a significant annual increase of 56 million metric tons, marking the largest expansion in a decade.The unions emphasize that the era of cheap steel and nonferrous metals flooding open markets under unfair market conditions must come to an end.Conclusion: The United Steelworkers union in the United States and European metals trade union IndustriAll are jointly advocating for a Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA) that prioritizes workers' rights. Their call, directed to US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, underlines the significance of respecting international workers' rights while addressing concerns related to excess capacity and carbon emissions. This initiative aligns with the potential for the US and the European Union to lead in decarbonization efforts within the steel and nonferrous sectors. The unions stress the importance of inclusive and worker-centric agreements in a global context.
