Steelworkers plan strike authorization votes at U.S. Steel facilities
The United Steelworkers union said Saturday that its local leaders will be scheduling strike authorization votes, as negotiations for a new contract with U.S. Steel are at an impasse.
The current contract between the union and Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel — which includes the Minntac and Keetac mines on Minnesota's Iron Range — expires on Saturday night.
Union leaders told MPR News earlier this week that they made sacrifices three years ago, the last time they negotiated a contract, when the steel industry was in a major downturn. Now that the industry has rebounded, John Arbogast, president of Steelworkers Local 1938 at Minntac, said workers want a modest wage increase and to maintain benefits.
"Things have turned around, the company is making a lot of money, and our demands are not that extreme," Arbogast said, as United Steelworkers members held rallies Thursday to support their call for a fair contract.
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On Saturday, the union posted an update for its members saying the two sides "are still far from a fair agreement. U.S. Steel continues to demand a six-year contract with deep concessions throughout."
It said local leaders will schedule informational meetings and strike authorization votes with union members.
"During that time we will continue to stay at work and will provide management with a 48-hour notice in advance of any strike in order to safely cease operations," the union said in the update to members. "The local leadership will then return to Pittsburgh to try to finalize a deal before we take any strike action. Hopefully the company brings forward a proposal worth your consideration for ratification. Their current one is not."
U.S. Steel said earlier this week that talks are ongoing, and the company will keep bargaining in good faith to reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, the United Steelworkers union has agreed to a short-term contract extension with ArcelorMittal, owner of Minorca Mine on the Iron Range. The current contract also was set to expire Saturday night, and those negotiations remain unresolved.
"Although we are not satisfied with the little progress we have made at the table since negotiations began on July 9, 2018, on Thursday, we reached an understanding to extend our current contracts for a short period of time while negotiations proceed, subject to a 48-hour notice if either party intends to terminate," the union posted Friday in an update to its membership at ArcelorMittal facilities.