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USW Delivers Clear Message to USS: We Deserve A Fair Contract!
Our bargaining chair, Director Mike Millsap, has made it clear to USS that we deserve fair wages, good benefits with no health care premiums and no change to our profit-sharing, among other issues.
The sub-committees continued their work this week on important issues, making some progress.
Local negotiations are still ongoing for a few locals that have outstanding issues.
Negotiations require both sides to work together. This balance is often difficult, and your bargaining team works constantly to evaluate options and paths. The process works best when there is productive dialogue, and when that is the case, there’s generally less detailed information to share. It’s early in the process still, so there’s much to discuss and work left to do. We are here to bargain a fair labor agreement and fight for what our members deserve!
Profit-Sharing Delivers in Q2, Thanks to Your Sacrifices
Our union bargained profit-sharing in 1986 when the steel industry was in a terrible downturn. In 2015, when the industry was in trouble, we received no wage increases for the term of the contract but instead the union enhanced the profit-sharing formula. Profit-sharing is part of our compensation package. Recently, profit-sharing has paid well thanks to the sacrifices USW members made in previous contracts, and your hard work.
Profit-sharing is an important part of our contract, but because the steel business is cyclical, sometimes it pays something and sometimes it pays nothing. That’s one reason we are focused on securing wage increases in bargaining, because we need guaranteed wages to support our families and pay our bills.
Our Work to Continue through Upcoming USW Convention
Over the next two weeks our Bargaining Chair, Secretary (Director Dan Flippo) and many Local Union Leaders will be at a meeting of our International Executive Board followed by the USW International Convention. The Convention is constitutionally required and where our union conducts critical business, including changes to our constitution, Strike and Defense Fund and consideration of resolutions that set our union’s priorities.
The Convention, which is typically held every three years, was initially scheduled for August 2020 but due to Covid had to be rescheduled.
During this time, we will continue to work on negotiations including analyzing data provided, determining what other relevant info we may need, crafting counter proposals and costing them out.
We return to Pittsburgh August 15 to continue to bargain a fair agreement.
We need everyone’s solidarity. Look for instructions from your CAT team leaders on how you can show your support in the coming weeks.