ATI, Steelworkers resume talks with federal mediator present

Brian C. Rittmeyer, The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa.
·2 min read

May 21—A federal mediator is getting involved in contract negotiations between Allegheny Technologies Inc. and the striking United Steelworkers.

Negotiators for the company and union met Friday, their first meeting since May 6. The union asked for a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to be present.

ATI spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie said prior to the meeting that the company welcomed the support of a mediator and looked forward to resuming talks with the USW.

"We are interested in exploring ways to reach an agreement that both rewards our hard-working team and contributes to the long-time viability of ATI," she said.

Late Friday afternoon, Gillespie said discussions were constructive, and they expect to reconvene next week.

About 1,300 USW members at nine ATI facilities, including those in the Alle-Kiski Valley, started the strike on March 30.

Health care remains a major sticking point between the company and union, and differences have arisen over profit sharing.

ATI rejected a union proposal on May 6, and has stood by its last offer made on April 26, Gillespie said.

The company has offered a four-year contract with a lump sum payment in the first year and 3% wage increases in the second, third and fourth years.

After the USW did not accept a company proposal made on April 20 by a deadline on April 26, ATI reduced the lump sum payment in the first year from $4,000 to $2,500 to reflect the costs it said it is incurring because of the strike.

The union has said ATI is not offering its members any economic gain unless they agree to concessions in other areas of the contract, such as health care and profit sharing.

The union said has proposed "a fair and reasonable contract with fair wages, no-premium health care, a better funded ... retiree health care, granting of shutdown pensions for those that are already entitled and the continuation of profit sharing."

While the USW said the proposal it gave ATI on May 6 resolved all issues, ATI said it pushed them further apart. The company declined the union proposal and called it "regressive."

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .