USW Kicks Off Contract Negotiations with U. S. Steel, ArcelorMittal

According to S&P Global Platts, the union had its first sit-down with ArcelorMittal officials on Monday and U. S. Steel negotiators on Tuesday.



"The plan, at least for now, is once we resume bargaining next Monday, we'll meet daily. We may even meet (on) weekends," union spokesman Tony Montana told Platts.



In a statement on ArcelorMittal USA's web site, chief executive John Brett said the negotiations are taking place at a time of increasing competition from electric arc furnace producers and spoke of the need for the company to be mindful of costs.



“In the past 10 years, integrated mills have lost another 10 percent of market share to mini-mills, which now account for 70 percent of the market,” he said.



“ArcelorMittal USA must achieve parity with other integrated steel producers, mini-mills and competing material producers. While we’ve optimized our assets, invested hundreds of millions in capex, and been successful at achieving our Action 2020 targets so far, our business here in the United States is still not cost competitive in comparison to other U.S. producers,” he said.