USS Shows No Interest in Making Progress

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Earlier today, District 9 Director Dan Flippo and USW Legal Department lawyers joined us in meeting with David Burritt and other representatives from U.S. Steel (USS) to discuss the violation of the Right-to-Bid provisions of our Basic Labor Agreements (BLA). 

USS denied the complaint, but we will continue our fight to enforce our contracts.

The Right-to-Bid clause gives us the right to receive all of the information that USS provided to other bidders. The company said in government filings that it never signed a confidentiality agreement with the USW, which is its excuse for not complying with its obligations. 

In fact, then-International President Tom Conway sent an email to David Burritt on Sept. 8, 2023 that included a draft of an agreement that would have allowed the union to be included in the process while addressing any confidentiality concerns. 

No Response

Burritt never responded to President Conway’s email, something that Burritt himself will need to explain.  

As you have probably already seen, USS posted its own spin before anyone in the meeting likely had finished the walk back to their offices, which tells you everything you need to know about U.S. Steel’s ongoing lack of interest in actually resolving the many disputes we have with them about the Nippon merger. 

We will be meeting with the local union presidents and staff in the near future, and we will continue to update the membership as we proceed in our efforts to maintain and protect our economic, employment and retirement security.

In solidarity,

Mike Millsap
District 7 Director & Chairman of the Negotiating Committee

David McCall
International President