Belleville News-Democrat Logo

More steel workers working without contracts | Belleville News-Democrat

×
  • E-edition
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Archives
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • All News
    • Metro-east News
    • MetroLink crime database
    • Business
    • Congressional shooter
    • Crime
    • Belleville News
    • Education News
    • Violation of Trust
    • Sometime in the Night
    • Then I Knew
    • O'Fallon Progress
    • Highland News Leader
    • State|Region News
    • Nation|World News
    • Politics and Government
    • Scott Air Force Base
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Public Salaries
    • Send Us Your Photographs
    • All Sports
    • Cardinals
    • Cheap Seats Blog
    • Blues
    • Colleges
    • High Schools
    • Recruiting
    • Chiefs
    • High School Football
    • High School Baseball/Softball
    • High School Basketball
    • Send Us Your Photographs
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • All Living
    • Metro-east Living
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Horoscopes
    • Health Sections
    • Ask Heidi
    • Special Sections
    • Records
    • Contests
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Celebrations
    • Send Us Your Photographs
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Glenn McCoy
    • Letters/Sound-off
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Today's Hot Deal
    • Today's Circulars
    • Service Directory
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
    • Homes
    • Local Homes for Sale
  • Legals
  • Place Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Metro-East News

More steel workers working without contracts

By Will Buss

News-Democrat

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 28, 2015 04:17 PM

Steel workers in Madison County are wondering about their fate as they work without contracts with no signs of new ones coming anytime soon.

The contract at U.S. Steel Corp. in Granite City expired July 6 and workers at Alton Steel Inc. have been without a contract since Aug. 20.

Chris Montine, who is one of approximately 250 steelworkers at Alton Steel, has worked at the Alton steel plant since 2005 and drives 40 minutes to the steel mill each day from his home in Wilsonville, located in Macoupin County. He said the company has proposed raises, but only for employees’ deductibles, not pay increases, which he said would drastically impact him and his co-workers.

He said management has not been open to further negotiations and have walked away from the table.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to Belleville News-Democrat

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

“The company is not negotiating in good faith,” Montine said. “It seems all they want to do is take, take, take and no give. They’ve quit talking to us, and they’re not negotiating with us.”

Alton Steel CEO Jim Hrusovsky said, “In the past several weeks, (Alton Steel Inc.) and the union have had productive negotiations with numerous issues addressed and resolved. Last week, we reached a point where both parties decided to take some time to evaluate their positions, with the expectation that negotiations would resume in the near future. The contract is still in effect and (Alton Steel Inc.) continues to run its operations and ship product to our customers.”

In Granite City, steel workers employed at U.S. Steel Corp., represented by United Steelworkers, have been meeting with company managers in Pittsburgh since July 6 to negotiate a new contract. Their contract is set to expire Sept. 1.

The sticking points are over wages, pension and health benefits. The steel mill’s 1,500 union members are considering a potential strike if they do not get a suitable contract.

U.S. Steel has declined to comment about the matter during negotiations.

At Alton Steel, the United Steel Workers Local 3643 President Terry Wooden said the company’s proposed three-year contract, which has no pay raises, increases employees’ pension contributions and passes on additional costs to employees for their insurance coverage, is too drastic for union members to accept.

“It would reduce the quality of life for our workforce,” Wooden said. “So we’re far apart on some things, and I don’t know where they will take us. We are hopeful the company would sit down and negotiate a fair and equitable contract.”

Wooden also said Alton Steel laid off about 60 workers last spring as the steel industry has slowed. But he also believes the privately owned Alton steel mill has remained profitable for the last four years because the employees’ 401(k) profit-sharing has performed very well in that time.

In the meantime, Wooden and the union waits for their next meeting with management.

“We’re willing and ready to sit down at the table anytime to get an agreement,” he said. “The membership will be accessible.”

Contact reporter Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 618-239-2526.

  Comments  

Videos

Highland seeks bids on combined public safety building

Wing Mission Video - Med Group

View More Video

Trending Stories

Jack Crab opens in Fairview Heights. Here’s a guide to the new seafood restaurant

February 20, 2019 10:01 AM

Pritzker unveils ‘bridge budget’ that relies on new revenue, calls for graduated income tax

February 20, 2019 04:12 PM

Woman shot in her car while driving in East St. Louis

February 20, 2019 12:03 PM

O’Fallon couple makes left-hand turn after church and ends up saving a life

February 19, 2019 09:47 AM

Man charged after throwing old toilet through East St. Louis board of education office

February 20, 2019 05:25 PM

Read Next

Man charged after throwing old toilet through East St. Louis board of education office
Video media Created with Sketch.

Crime

Man charged after throwing old toilet through East St. Louis board of education office

By Hana Muslic

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 20, 2019 05:25 PM

A Florida man has been charged with criminal damage to property after throwing an old toilet through District 189 Board of Education office in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was found sitting on an old toilet.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to Belleville News-Democrat

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE METRO-EAST NEWS

Pritzker unveils ‘bridge budget’ that relies on new revenue, calls for graduated income tax

Metro-East News

Pritzker unveils ‘bridge budget’ that relies on new revenue, calls for graduated income tax

February 20, 2019 04:12 PM

Crime

Missouri Attorney General to investigate daycare ‘fight club’ in St. Louis

February 20, 2019 03:45 PM
Collinsville man accused of kicking police officer, scratching jailer during arrest

Crime

Collinsville man accused of kicking police officer, scratching jailer during arrest

February 20, 2019 03:30 PM
Jack Crab opens in Fairview Heights. Here’s a guide to the new seafood restaurant

Food & Drink

Jack Crab opens in Fairview Heights. Here’s a guide to the new seafood restaurant

February 20, 2019 10:01 AM

Crime

Police searching for woman who robbed Walgreens at gunpoint

February 20, 2019 09:41 AM

Politics & Government

Illinois Democrats taking new approach as they try again to make legal smoking age 21

February 20, 2019 09:30 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise With Us
  • Shopping
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story