WEIRTON, W.Va. — Eight months after the expiration of the old contract a tentative agreement has been struck between the United Steelworkers Union and ArcelorMittal.
“In all the years I’ve been negotiating, and I’ve been on this job for about 26 years, this was a frustrating negotiation,” said United Steelworkers Local 2911 President Mark Glyptis. “Not only due to the length of time it took to reach agreement, but the issues were very complex.”
The new contract acknowledges the issues facing the industry and the difficult plight of steelworkers and retirees to retain their existing pay and benefits according to Glyptis. The contract proposal addressed three groups of the membership, the veteran workers, newly hired workers, and retirees. Each group had unique circumstances and required difficult bargaining and structuring of the agreement.
“It’s probably the most creative contract I’ve been involved in,” said Glyptis. “We found methodologies for the people we represent and to provide in some cases the savings the company was seeking.”
“It’s a fair contract. I think the membership, once they see what’s in the contract, I think they will be happily satisfied,” Glyptis said.
The contract covers 13,000 steelworkers at ArcelorMittal operations across the nation including those employed in Weirton. Union representatives will be traveling to each location to explain the new contract ahead of a vote by the rank and file members. No date for the vote has been set.