MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -
United Steelworkers and ArcelorMittal have begun negotiations on new contract.
The current agreement which expires Sept. 1 covers 14,000 employees at 15 facilities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Louisiana and South Carolina. The discussions began Monday in Pittsburgh.
ArcelorMittal, which is based in Luxembourg, wants to slash wages and benefits by more than $28 per hour. They would also like to have the unilateral right to cut wages during business slowdowns.
It also proposes redesigning incentives, freezing pensions, and eliminating retiree health care and pension benefits for workers hired after Sept. 1.
ArcelorMittal says it's committed to a fair agreement that creates a sustainable future, but it must close the labor cost gap with nonunion mills.
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