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The United Steelworkers union said progress is being made at the bargaining table with ArcelorMittal, but that more work is needed to attain a fair contract.

"Although there remains significant ground to cover on differences that remain between our committee and ArcelorMittal management, we are nonetheless gratified to report that the unity and solidarity demonstrated by USW members over the past months at each and every location represented in these negotiations finally appears to have made a positive impression on the company," USW said in an update to members. "ArcelorMittal has returned to Pittsburgh to resume bargaining with proposals that represent significant progress in some important areas, but the company still needs to make more movement on other issues — among the most vital to our members and our committee — to reach a fair contract settlement."

ArcelorMittal said last week it proposed a cumulative pay increase of 9.8 percent over three years, a signing bonus of $3,000, and a $0.55 per hour increase in the pension trust by year three. The steelmaker last week proposed removing the hot roll steel bonus, no changes to the profit-sharing formula or plant incentive plans, and to force steelworkers to choose between a "Consumer Driven Healthcare Plan with no premiums or a PPO plan with modest design changes and modest premiums."