USW members vote overwhelmingly to authorize strike at U. S. Steel

Thousands of members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union from across the U.S. have voted overwhelmingly to authorize their bargaining committee to initiate a strike at U. S. Steel facilities. The committee could now call a strike if the company continues to demand deep concessions from its hourly workforce.

The union's collective bargaining agreements with U. S. Steel expired on Sept. 1, but union members have continued to work under the terms of an agreed-to extension. That agreement remains in effect with 48 hours' notice required for termination. The two sides have been negotiating since July.

"These workers have made a number of sacrifices over the past several years—including three years with a wage freeze—to put this company back on track," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "Now that U. S. Steel is expecting to make a profit of nearly $2 billion this year, it is time for the workers to share in the success U. S. Steel is seeing now."

Top company officials have given themselves more than $50 million in pay and bonuses since 2015 while the hourly workforce has not received a wage increase over the same period, says the USW.

The company has proposed major increases in benefit costs for the workforce, as well as other significant concessions that would reduce workers' overall take-home pay and eliminate a number of on-the-job protections, USW says. The two sides are scheduled to resume negotiations next week.

The USW's master agreement with U. S. Steel covers 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).

For bargaining updates and other information on the current negotiations, visit www.usw.org/steel.