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Bargaining with US Steel for a new contract got underway this week in Pittsburgh. Our committee arrived with the main goal of reaching a fair contract.
We have been meeting to discuss issues, analyze information and finalize proposals. We’ve established subcommittees to address specific areas including: Benefits, Safety, Contract Language, Office & Technical, Training and Contracting Out.
Local issue negotiations also continue.
IRP Language Provides Inflation Protection
Yesterday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its June inflation calculation, which was high enough to trigger our union-negotiated Inflation Recognition Payment (IRP).
We negotiated IRP into our contract in order to protect ourselves and our families during tumultuous economic times. It provides for quarterly lump-sum payments if cumulative inflation, as measured over the life of the contract, exceeds 3% per year.
Under the IRP clause of our Labor Agreement, all USW-represented U.S. Steel employees will receive a 5% IRP bonus payment based on their total earnings in the second quarter of 2022.
This IRP payment is due by August 15, 2022 and may be combined with the profit-sharing payment.
The individual IRP payments are based on employee earnings and actual hours worked during the calendar quarter, including incentive earning and overtime.
Pay for hours not worked, such as vacation, holidays not worked, shift premium and 6th or 7th consecutive days worked premiums are not included in the definition of earnings in the IRP clause. IRP payments also do not “roll in” to any wage rate or other benefit (such as earnings for calculation of weekly S&A benefits).
Profit sharing is also specifically excluded under the profit-sharing clause. An employee is not eligible for an IRP payment if s/he has no hours worked during the calendar quarter due to absence while on S&A, workers’ compensation, layoff or leave of absence.
For updates from bargaining, text USS to 47486.