US Steel workers vote to strike in STL metro - Other plants also willing to strike

Big Nasty Edison

Excellence of execution belt
Platinum Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
34,476
Reaction score
17,376
What a shit show from both sides. Steel workers vote to strike because US Steel proposes lump sum payments instead of hourly wage increases.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local...cle_431f5ddf-338e-586b-9512-13347431635d.html

U.S. Steel employs roughly 1,200 workers at their Granite City plant. The workers voted Thursday to approve the possible strike.

. . .



Workers are chiefly concerned with increasing healthcare costs and decreasing benefits for current and future workers, and healthcare costs to retirees, Dowling said. Workers are also displeased with a proposal by U.S. Steel to replace wage increases with lump sum bonuses based on company financials.

. . .

U.S. Steel workers at other plants across the country have also indicated a willingness to strike in votes this week, according to other media outlets.

Steel workers were just called back to work in this town recently. Already wanting to strike lol. Guess they didn't really miss working.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post...tlight-they-prepare-make-steel-again#stream/0

And another lol at the company. They know lump sum payments over hourly wage increases will save them millions in overtime pay. So much for those tariffs and tax breaks really trickling down.
 
Last edited:
Union bosses and lawyers who never worked a day in their lives...
 
Union bosses and lawyers who never worked a day in their lives...

If pushing papers and being on the phone or in meetings and making decisions that affect others' lives isn't "working" then I can think of a lot of people at US Steel who also "never worked a day in their lives".

And guess which of the two opposing groups is far, far more highly compensated for their non-work?
 
If pushing papers and being on the phone or in meetings and making decisions that affect others' lives isn't "working" then I can think of a lot of people at US Steel who also "never worked a day in their lives".

And guess which of the two opposing groups is far, far more highly compensated for their non-work?

I'm guessing the activist pencil pushers and lawyers, because no way a middle-class salary could fund Richard Trumka cleaning out buffets across the country.
 
These lump sum payments remind me of people getting $500 bonuses after the Trump tax cuts passed. Which are basically nothing in the grand scheme of things.
 
These lump sum payments remind me of people getting $500 bonuses after the Trump tax cuts passed. Which are basically nothing in the grand scheme of things.


Yes this is a clear case of that. Exec's taking tax breaks and trying to short change workers to pad their own accounts.

But also of unions who would rather sit at home than do the work at what foreign competitors are doing it for, which is what started the death toll for industry.

My family for multiple generations worked in steel, as did my wife family. Ours is the first generation around these parts that hasn't gone from high school to the mill.

This dance has been going on for like 25 years now.
 
Workers usually don't receive anything without demanding it in large numbers. Hopefully the game shifts in their favor in this instance.
 
Sounds like they need to throw in some boot straps
 
Yes this is a clear case of that. Exec's taking tax breaks and trying to short change workers to pad their own accounts.

But also of unions who would rather sit at home than do the work at what foreign competitors are doing it for, which is what started the death toll for industry.

My family for multiple generations worked in steel, as did my wife family. Ours is the first generation around these parts that hasn't gone from high school to the mill.

This dance has been going on for like 25 years now.
Which in this case means working over 40 hours a week for less than minimum wage.

Here's a tip. NOBODY IN AMERICA is going to work a dangerous job that fucks your body up for pay that doesnt even cover basic rent.
 
Which in this case means working over 40 hours a week for less than minimum wage.

Here's a tip. NOBODY IN AMERICA is going to work a dangerous job that fucks your body up for pay that doesnt even cover basic rent.

It's almost like we should be investing in new manufacturing technologies ahead of other countries, like growing our renewables sectors.

Nah that's not it. Trump told me we need more steel and coal. Party like its 1899.

That'll definitely break the cycle of lay offs, strikes and stagnant wages my county has experienced since the early 90s.

I mean I'd expect a bunch of middle aged dudes who were out if work for years would wait more than 2 months back on the job before bitching about pay.
 
Last edited:
How's that recovery going.

 
Last edited:
What a shit show from both sides. Steel workers vote to strike because US Steel proposes lump sum payments instead of hourly wage increases.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local...cle_431f5ddf-338e-586b-9512-13347431635d.html



Steel workers were just called back to work in this town recently. Already wanting to strike lol. Guess they didn't really miss working.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post...tlight-they-prepare-make-steel-again#stream/0

And another lol at the company. They know lump sum payments over hourly wage increases will save them millions in overtime pay. So much for those tariffs and tax breaks really trickling down.
They’re wanting to cut weeks down to 32 hrs, no overtime on forced overs (happens a lot we are a 24/7 operation, someone calls off YOU are covering it now, will no longer be compensated or counted as overtime.)

Haven’t had a raise in six years, low level managers have gotten lump sum payments quarterly in that time ranging from 10k to 60k, hourly employees get “profit sharing” and have gotten a penny when management got 30k. And every other local from Pittsburgh to texas has already given a strike vote, why would ONE local union vote against it?
 
These lump sum payments remind me of people getting $500 bonuses after the Trump tax cuts passed. Which are basically nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah those companies should have kept that money.
 
I mean I'd expect a bunch of middle aged dudes who were out if work for years would wait more than 2 months back on the job before bitching about pay.
It’s almost like a Contract was up Sept 1, one that represents a whole slew of people; collective bargaining folks, learn what it is. If granite city workers don’t want USW to represent them, vote them out.

And quick demographic lesson on US steel worker ages, the vast majority have less that 15 years in, typically around 30-50 years old.

Those old coots have left, and took the knowledge of how decades old processes work with them. Many lower end managers came straight out of school and don’t know how to run; a coke plant, a blast furnace, steel shop, tin mill, or even a truck fleet.
 
What a shit show from both sides. Steel workers vote to strike because US Steel proposes lump sum payments instead of hourly wage increases.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local...cle_431f5ddf-338e-586b-9512-13347431635d.html



Steel workers were just called back to work in this town recently. Already wanting to strike lol. Guess they didn't really miss working.

http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post...tlight-they-prepare-make-steel-again#stream/0

And another lol at the company. They know lump sum payments over hourly wage increases will save them millions in overtime pay. So much for those tariffs and tax breaks really trickling down.

Yeah maybe they didn't miss working. Or maybe they are tired of getting fucked over. Good for them for being able to recognize the bull shit their company is trying to pull. And bravo for having the balls to stand up to them. So many Unions just roll over and take whatever because their members are too afraid to strike.
 
Lol, no raises? So basically you end up making less every year just based on inflation alone, not to mention cost of goods and services.
 
It's almost like we should be investing in new manufacturing technologies ahead of other countries, like growing our renewables sectors.

Nah that's not it. Trump told me we need more steel and coal. Party like its 1899.

That'll definitely break the cycle of lay offs, strikes and stagnant wages my county has experienced since the early 90s.

I mean I'd expect a bunch of middle aged dudes who were out if work for years would wait more than 2 months back on the job before bitching about pay.

Coal is an energy source. Steel is a building material. They are two entirely different things. Coal can be replaced as an energy source by several clean and more efficient alternatives. What can you replace steel with?

And again I don't think you know wtf you are talking about. Anything regarding pay is negotiated in a contract that the Union and company agree on. Contracts typically last for a few years. 3 to 5 years from what I have experienced. So what happened was these guys got called back to work right when the old contract was about to end and negotiations for a new one were being done. So these guys were laid off and fucked over by the company. Called back in time for negotiations with the company offering up what the workers thought was a shit deal.
 
It's almost like we should be investing in new manufacturing technologies ahead of other countries, like growing our renewables sectors.

Nah that's not it. Trump told me we need more steel and coal. Party like its 1899.

That'll definitely break the cycle of lay offs, strikes and stagnant wages my county has experienced since the early 90s.

I mean I'd expect a bunch of middle aged dudes who were out if work for years would wait more than 2 months back on the job before bitching about pay.

You complain about workers striking over wages and then complain about stagnant wages.......... what!?!
 
Contract negotiation always goes this way, the union members want certain things and the company wants other things. If the company isn't willing to accept what the workers are asking for or at least compromise, then the workers go on strike... I'm a member of the United Steelworkers union...
 
Coal is an energy source. Steel is a building material. They are two entirely different things. Coal can be replaced as an energy source by several clean and more efficient alternatives. What can you replace steel with?

You replace US Steel with foreign steel which costs a lot less. Hence why

And again I don't think you know wtf you are talking about. Anything regarding pay is negotiated in a contract that the Union and company agree on. Contracts typically last for a few years. 3 to 5 years from what I have experienced. So what happened was these guys got called back to work right when the old contract was about to end and negotiations for a new one were being done. So these guys were laid off and fucked over by the company. Called back in time for negotiations with the company offering up what the workers thought was a shit deal.

Yes I do know what I am talking about. My family was in the steel mill business. My wife's family was in steel. I'll probably die of cancer one day from living near the mill for years. It's what EVERY kid's family did around here up until the 80's. My cousins and I are the first kids to not be in it. For years these guys have been crying about being out of work, and now there was much celebration around these parts about them being called back. They are lucky to be called back at all this time. They've been idled for years.

You complain about workers striking over wages and then complain about stagnant wages.......... what!?!
Do you know the brutal cycle of lay offs and call backs these guys have been going through for the past 30 years, months, maybe years of being laid off. Why do they get laid off? Because they product they make is too expensive and no one was buying.

It's almost like a problem can have multiple causes. It's not a novel idea. Half the problem is American manufacturing workers expect too much to make the same shit other countries make for hafl the cost. The other half of the problem is greedy businesses that just pocket any windfalls from government policies that artificially prop up industries that are on their death bed.

American steel is not gonna rebound. This song and dance has been going on forever. Time to focus on building new manufacturing sectors. Shit we've been making since the 1800s isn't gonna suddenly rebound and be competitive globally.
 
Back
Top