Steelworkers Make Progress Against US Steel, ATI

Steelworkers, US Steel Reach Tentative Agreement on Three-Year Contract

The United Steelworkers announced December 19 that it had reached a tentative agreement with US Steel for a new three-year agreement covering 18,000 workers, replacing the contract that expired September 1. The tentative agreement culminated a months-long bargaining process that occurred against the backdrop of a domestic steel industry crisis.

The agreement is subject to membership ratification. Workers across the country will submit mail-in ballot, with votes tallied February 1. Locally the agreement would impact workers at US Steel’s Edgar Thompson Works in Braddock, Irvin Works in West Mifflin, and Clairton Works in Clairton.

Throughout the bargaining process the Steelworkers union accused US Steel of using a temporary downturn in the market as an excuse for deep and permanent cuts in working conditions. Among other things, the steelmaker demanded workers agree to pay for a considerable portion of their health insurance, to a two-tier benefit package providing basically no coverage for new-hires, and to dramatic increases in the use of outside contractors.

Steelworkers around the country mobilized to show their opposition to the company’s demands, including a massive 3,000-person march to US Steel’s global headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh.

Under the proposed deal, USW held the line against paying any portion of their healthcare premium, while agreeing to pay larger deductibles and co-pays. The offer does not include any across-the-board wage increases, but does provide for an enhanced profit-sharing plan if the market turns around.

Feds to ATI: Lockout is Illegal

The more than 2,200 members of the United Steelworkers locked out of their jobs since August 15th got an early Christmas present on December 18th: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) notified the union and Allegheny Technologies that it intended to issue a complaint alleging that the four-month long lockout was illegal.

The NLRB complaint will allege that ATI bargained in bad faith, both before and during the lockout. It will also allege that ATI unlawfully locked out workers to support bad faith bargaining positions and outlandish demands on its plants in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Oregon.

Union leaders noted that ATI’s behavior throughout the bargaining process was particularly egregious. “In all my years as a negotiator, I have never seen a company engage in such obvious bad-faith bargaining,” said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, who leads the union’s negotiations with ATI.

The remedy for the company’s violations of the National Labor Relations Act would require ATI to make whole all locked-out workers for any losses since the beginning of the lockout—including wages and benefits—and to require the company to bargain a new contract in good faith.

No date has yet been set for hearing the complaint before an administrative law judge.

Shortly after the NLRB announcement, USW officials and ATI returned to the bargaining table to resume negotiations. Union officials met with ATI managers at the USW Headquarters on December 30th and then again the following week. As this issue of the NewPeople went to print negotiations were ongoing and limited information about any progress was available.

Hospital Workers Shine a Light on UPMC’s Poverty Wages

Workers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) shined a light—literally—on the healthcare giant, accusing Pittsburgh’s largest employer of paying poverty wages. Hospital workers and community supporters held a candlelight vigil in front of UPMC Montefiore in Oakland on December 16th, , days after Pittsburgh’s Wage Review Committee released a scathing ‘City for All’ report documenting the social and economic consequences of the poverty wages paid by UPMC and other major employers in Pittsburgh.

Workers spoke out about their experience living on poverty wages and projected quotes from the wage board report on the side of the hospital for rush-hour drivers to see.

Lawsuit Blocks Implementation of Paid Sick Time Legislation

Pittsburgh Common Pleas Judge Joseph James struck down the city’s paid sick day legislation, ruling it “invalid and unenforceable.” Pittsburgh’s legislation was passed by City Council in August with massive grassroots support generated by a coalition of unions and community organizations spearheaded by Pittsburgh United. The legislation requires businesses to grant employees one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked.

Judge James reviewed the law after the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association and five local businesses issued a legal challenge. In his ruling, the judge cited a 2009 State Supreme Court decision prohibiting municipalities like Pittsburgh from regulating businesses by determining their ‘duties, responsibilities, or requirements.’

Mayor Bill Peduto called the ruling “a step back for Pittsburgh.” The Mayor’s office has not announced whether or not it will appeal.

Patrick Young is the Financial Secretary/Treasurer of Fight Back Pittsburgh, an associate member program of United Steelworks (USW) Local 3657.

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