AK Steel and the United Steelworkers Union have ratified a new labor agreement covering more than 800 hourly employees at the company’s Ashland mill. Local 1865 President Mike Hewlett says the contract is for 18 months and provides a pay increase for production and maintenance workers beginning next month.
“So they get a 50 cent raise during that 18 months starting in September and then they get a two-thousand dollar signing bonus, and we had a lot of good language changes that we need. If finances are in such condition a lot of times when you negotiate, you can get some money, but it’s time to get some good language changed if you’ve got some problems in your contract.” –Mike Hewlett
Hewlett says the new pact expedites the processing of union grievances. It takes effect September 1 and expires March 1, 2015. AK Steel President James Wainscott calls the accord mutually beneficial for the company and the union.