In an effort to appear reasonable and fair in an update distributed to reporters and posted to the company’s website on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, ArcelorMittal USA President and CEO John Brett summarized some of the economic terms in the company’s most recent contract proposal.

As always, “the devil is in the details,” and of course, Brett doesn’t want to talk about them. He also claims the offer meets the industry pattern, but what he really means is that AMUSA’s offer “cherry picks” the industry pattern.

The update concludes by saying the company’s proposed contract reflects its desire to protect customers, facilities, workers and communities for the long term but made no mention of the company’s persistent concessionary demands.

Just a few months ago, ArcelorMittal management insisted that its future viability depended upon our committee accepting concessions that would have cost individual employees and retirees thousands of dollars per year with no wage increases.

A few weeks ago, Brett distributed a similar update that characterized the company’s scheme to collect millions from current and future retirees by increasing their health insurance premiums as “modest” and again, reflective of the company’s focus on the “long-term prosperity of our operations, our people and our communities during both the good and bad times.”

Even judging from the company’s incomplete and misleading summary above, we have made clear and significant progress toward our goal of negotiating fair contracts with ArcelorMittal – not because of anything management has done – but thanks only to the solidarity of union members at all of the company’s facilities and the hard work and determination of our USW negotiating committee.

Please remain patient and focused on working safely. As long as we are united and stand together, we will achieve the fair contracts we have earned and deserve.

Signed, 

Your Bargaining Committee