Click here to download a PDF of this handbill to distribute in your plant
This week in Pittsburgh, our committee heard more from ArcelorMittal and several of its vendors about the company’s proposed changes to medical coverage for active employees.
The company’s proposal to start charging active employees monthly premiums of $150 for single coverage and $250 for family coverage would cost USW members more than $36 million per year.
Although the company has identified that its benefits proposal would be a significant cost savings for them, they have not identified what their savings would be or how the savings would be achieved.
Similarly, neither the company nor its vendors can provide evidence that the single program of benefits it has envisioned will provide coverage comparable to the current plans we have negotiated. However, their proposal would require major increases in our out-of-pocket expenses.
Management’s inability to answer or provide information in response to our committee’s basic questions regarding the company’s benefits proposals is dangerous. It is unclear if management even understands what it has proposed in many cases.
We must continue to show unity and solidarity at all locations and consistently deliver the message to all levels of ArcelorMittal management that we will not sacrifice our dignity or forfeit generations of collective bargaining progress when the company has shown no interest in improving anything but shareholder value and the bank accounts of its executives.
Our goal remains a fair and equitable contract, and we will keep you updated as the process continues.
