IS THERE STILL A "PATH FORWARD" FOR NIPPON STEEL TO ACQUIRE U.S. STEEL?

YES! THERE IS A PATH FORWARD PROVIDED THAT SWIFT ACTION IS TAKEN AS TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FOR THIS DEAL TO COME TO FRUITION.? THIS WRITER BELIEVES THAT THERE STILL REMAINS AN APPROACH THAT HAS ONLY BEEN PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED BY NIPPON STEEL BUT THAT FURTHER AND CERTAIN ACTIONS SHOULD BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO ACT BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD POSSIBLY FOLLOW THROUGH WITH HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO “BLOCK THIS DEAL, DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.”

WHILE WE KNOW THAT THE LAWSUIT FILED BY U.S. STEEL AND NIPPON STEEL AGAINST THE BIDEN DECISION IN WHICH A CLAIM BY THE TWO (2) COMPANIES ASSERTS THAT BIDEN’S DECISION WAS MOTIVATED PRIOR TO THE CRIUS REPORT BEING RELEASED AS WELL AS POLITICAL INFLUENCE FOR HIS GAIN, IS SET TO COMMENCE ON FEBRUARY 3, 2025.

THERE’S ALSO A LAWSUIT FILED BY BOTH COMPANIES AGAINST CLIFFS CEO, GONCALVES AND USW PRESIDENT MCCALL ALLEGING THAT

BOTH COLLUDED TOGETHER IN A JOINT EFFORT TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF THIS ACQUISITION, CLAIMING, “ENGAGING IN A COORDINATED SERIES OF ANTICOMPETITIVE AND RACKETERERING ACTIVITIES” TO BLOCK THE DEAL. WHILE NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THIS CASE YET, THERE REALLY IS NO NEED TO WAIT ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS CASE TO BRING FINALIZATION TO THIS ACQUISITION.?

IT’S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT IF ONE COULD CONVINCE CLIFFS CEO, LOURENCO GONCALVES THAT HE ISN’T GOING TO CLOSE ON THIS DEAL, AND IF PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS NO THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES SINCE THE CFIUS COMMITTEE COULD NOT REACH A CONCENSES ON SUCH, AND IF USW PRESIDENT DAVID MCCALL WOULD ACCEPT THE FACT THAT A MAJORITY OF HIS MEMBERS WHO WORK AT U.S. STEEL WANT THIS DEAL TO SUCCEED, THEN THIS DEAL COULD IN FACT BE COMPLETED IN ONLY A MATTER OF WEEKS.? HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE CANNOT COUNT ON ANY OF THE THREE (3) INDIVIDUALS COMING TO TERMS WITH REALITY, THE ONUS IS UPON NIPPON STEEL TO ADVANCE THE BALL FORWARD AND U.S. STEEL CAN FOLLOW SUIT ONCE NIPPON STEEL HAS ACCOMPLISHED ITS NECESSARY STEPS TO REACH ITS GOAL.

?IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE A SUFFICIENT ENOUGH NUMBER OF U.S. STEEL EMPLOYEE’S, BOTH UNION AND NON-UNION TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT THEIR DESIRE IS TO SEE NIPPON STEEL BECOME THEIR NEW OWNER AND FINALLY SEE THE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO BRING THIS COMPANY UP TO A COMPETITIVE CHANCE AGAINST ITS COMPETITION WITH NEW, INNOVATIVE EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE FACILITIES.?

USW PRESIDENT MCCALL MUST REALIZE THAT HIS TRUE LOYALTY IS NOT TO LIE WITH CLEVELAND-CLIFFS CEO, LOURENCO GONCALVES (FOR WHATEVER REASONS HE HAS) BUT INSTEAD TO THE MEMBERSHIP THAT HE TOOK AN OATH TO REPRESENT TO THE UTMOST OF HIS ABILITY AND TO UPHOLD THE USW CONSTITUTION.? IT SEEMS THAT HE AND HIS E-BOARD WANT TO ACCUSE TRUMP OF NOT FOLLOWING HIS OATH AND HONORING HIS COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD THE USA CONSTITUTION BUT HE IS GUILTY OF THE SAME THING THAT HE ACCUSES TRUMP FOR, ONLY ON THE INTERNATIONAL UNION LEVEL.?

I WOULD SUGGEST TO MCCALL THAT THOSE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD BE LEARY OF THROWING STONES AT OTHERS, SUCH AS NIPPON STEEL, MANY OF ITS OWN MEMBERS, AND THE MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND POLITICIANS THAT HAVE COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THIS DEAL WITH NIPPON STEEL AND U.S. STEEL.?

IT’S TRULY HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS THAT GONCALVES HAS ON MCCALL TO GET HIM TO TURN AGAINST HIS VERY OWN MEMBERSHIP WHO WORK AT U.S. STEEL AND IGNORE THEIR REQUESTS FOR THIS DEAL TO MOVE FORWARD.? AT THE VERY LEAST MCCALL COULD MOVE THIS MATTER TO A VOTE BY THE MEMBERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS WOULD SHOW?? HOWEVER, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE REASON MCCALL WON’T DO THIS IS BECAUSE HE ALREADY KNOWS THAT HE HAS LOST THE CONFIDENCE OF HIS OWN MEMBERS AND DOESN’T WANT TO PUT IT IN THEIR HANDS BY TAKING THE MATTER TO THE “BALLOT BOX.”

IN ALL REALITY, THIS IS NOT ANYTHING NEW WITH THE USW AS THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY LABOR DISPUTES BETWEEN THEM AND EMPLOYERS THAT WERE ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARILY CALLED FOR.? JUST TO NAME A FEW FOR EXAMPLE:

BACK IN 1997 THERE WAS A TEN (10) MONTH STRIKE AGAINST WHEELING-PITTSBURG STEEL COMPANY AND THE CAUSE WAS MORE RELATED TO THE INCOMPETENCE OF ONE OF THE USW’S INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES THAN ANY THING ELSE.? NOW DON’T GET ME WRONG AS THERE WAS A SERIOUS ISSUE AT STAKE REGARDING THE PENSION PLAN, BUT IT TOOK AN ASSISTANT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT TO GO AND SETTLE THE STRIKE DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THIS INCOMPETENT REPRESENTATIVES ABILITY TO SETTLE MATTERS AND CLOSE THE DEAL FOR THE MEMBERSHIP.?

ANOTHER UNNECESARY STRIKE IN 1999 WAS BETWEEN THE USW AND SPECIAL METALS COMPANY THAT LASTED TEN (10) WEEKS.? THIS STRIKE WAS MORE ABOUT, AGAIN, THIS SAME INCOMPETENT INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, AND HIS EGO BEING CHALLENGED BY A HUMAN RESOURCE REPRESENTATIVE.? IT ALSO INVOLVED A LOCAL UNION PRESIDENT AND HIS ANIMOUS AGAINST THIS HR REPRESENTATIVE SO, ONCE AGAIN, IT TOOK HIS SUPERIOR TO COME IN AND SECURE A DEAL TO RESOLVE THE LABOR DISPUTE WHICH WAS SO UNNECESARY FOR THE MEMBERSHIP.?

YET ANOTHER UNNECESARY STRIKE IN 2011 WAS BETWEEN BRASKEM CHEMICAL AND THE USW AND WHILE THERE WERE A FEW ISSUES THAT THE PARTIES WERE SLIGHTLY APART ON, THE SIX (6) MONTH STRIKE WAS IN ALL REALITY DUE TO THE LOCAL UNION PRESIDENT, DESPITE AGREEING TO A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT, BUT BECAUSE HE AND THE LOCAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER HAD THIS “RIFF” BETWEEN THEM, THE USW SUPPORTED THIS SIX (6) MONTH LONG STRIKE IN WHICH THEY WENT BACK FOR LESS THAN WHAT THEY WERE OUT OVER.?

THESE ARE SIMPLY THREE (3) EXAMPLES OF HOW LUDICROUS AND UNREALISTIC THIS SAME USW CAN BE WHEN IT COMES TO NOT CARING ABOUT THE REAL ISSUES, BEING TO GET A CONTRACT THAT KEEPS JOBS IN COMMUNITIES, LETS EMPLOYERS MAKE A PROFIT, PROVIDES ITS MEMBERS WITH A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND PROVIDES THEM DECENT WAGES AND BENEFITS, BUT INSTEAD WILL TAKE ON FIGHTS JUST TO “PROVE A POINT.”

?ONE HAS TO ASK IF THIS ISN’T THE CRUX OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS NIPPON ACQUISITION OF U.S. STEEL.? LET’S EXAMINE HOW THIS COULD PLAY OUT IN A CERTAIN SITUATION WHERE NIPPON STEEL AND ITS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF PURCHASE AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, ALONG WITH GUARANTEES OF TEN (10) YEARS OF JOB SECURITY, JOB PRODUCTION LEVELS OPERATING AT FULL CAPACITY, WITHOUT ANY SUBSIDIZING FROM ANY OF ITS JAPANESE FACILITIES:

·?????? WITHOUT THE CAPITAL TO INVEST IN U.S. STEEL’S OLD, ANTIQUATED EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES IN GENERAL, U.S. STEEL CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE MUCH OF ITS EQUIPMENT.

·?????? WITHOUT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS U.S. STEEL CANNOT COMPETE AGAINST MANY OF ITS COMPETITORS THAT HAVE BUILT NEW, MODERN FACILITIES WITH NEW EQUIPMENT THAT IS SAFER TO OPERATE AND PRODUCES AT A FASTER RATE OF SPEED.

·?????? WITHOUT THE INNOVATIVE AND INGENUITY IN TECHNOLOGY THAT NIPPON STEEL BRINGS TO THE OPERATIONS OF U.S. STEEL, NOT ONLY DOES IT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO COMPETE GLOBALLY, IT IMPACTS NEGATIVELY THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO EXIST IN TODAYS MARKET.

·?????? WITHOUT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND THE OVERALL PRICE THAT NIPPON IS OFFERING TO PAY FOR U.S. STEEL, THERE IS MORE LIKLIHOOD OF U.S. STEEL FILING FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY PROTECTIONS.

SO LET’S EXAMINE WHAT BANKRUPTCY COULD MEAN FOR U.S. STEEL AND HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THE WORKERS, BOTH UNION AND NON-UNION.

·?????? IT IS MOST LIKELY THAT ANY AND ALL PENSION PLANS WOULD BE FROZEN AND/OR TERMINATED WHICH MEANS THAT THE PLANS WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE PBGC (PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTEE CORPORATION) WHICH IS AN ENTITY SET UP BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN “INSURER” FOR COMPANY’S WITH EITHER DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION PLANS OR DEFINED CONTRIBUTION BENEFIT PENSION PLANS.? IN CASES WHERE THIS OCCURS, IF A PARTICULAR PLAN IS UNDERFUNDED BY A CERTAIN AMOUNT, THE PENSIONER IS SUBJECTED TO LOSING UP TO 20% OF THE LAST FIVE (5) YEARS OF INCREASED BENEFITS.? THIS WOULD BE APPLICABLE FOR SINGLE EMPLOYER PENSION PLANS AS WELL AS FOR MULTI-EMPLOYER PENSION PLANS AS WELL.

·?????? IT IS ALSO MOST LIKELY THAT ALL RETIREES AND THEIR SURVIVING SPOUSES WOULD LOSE THEIR RETIREE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS AS THIS ALONG WITH THE PENSION PLANS ARE WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS “LEGACY COSTS” AND VERY FEW, IF ANY, ARE ABLE TO EMERGE FROM CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY WITHOUT “DUMPING” THESE TWO (2) SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO EMPLOYERS.?

SO LET’S EXAMINE WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT THE INNOVATIVE AND INGENUITY OF TECHNOLOGY THAT NIPPON STEEL BRINGS TO THE OPERATIONS OF U.S. STEEL, NOT ONLY DOES IT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO COMPETE GLOBALLY, IT IMPACTS NEGATIVELY THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO EXIST IN TODAYS MARKET.?

·?????? IMPLEMENTATION OF MODERNIZATION THROUGH INNOVATIVE AND INGENUITY IN TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS WOULD ALLOW U.S. STEEL TO COMPETE GLOBALLY AGAINST ITS COMPETITORS THAT ARE “KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES” SO TO SPEAK (CHINA AND INDIA ARE GOOD EXAMPLES WHEN SEEING HOW MANY STEEL MILLS THEY HAVE RECENTLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND CURRENTLY STILL CONSTRUCTING AS THEY KNOW THAT THE NEED FOR STEEL DUE TO FAILING INFRASTRUCTURES ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE MANDATING GREAT NEED FOR QUALITY STEEL PRODUCTS IN VARIOUS SHAPES AND FORMS FOR ALL TYPES OF USES.? THE EDGE THAT NIPPON BRINGS TO THE TABLE IS THAT THEY ARE AT THE TOP IN THE CATEGORY OF “QUALITY STEEL” VERSUS WHAT IS BEING PRODUCED IN COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA, INDIA AND RUSSIA.? BUYERS OF THIS PRODUCT IS WILLING TO PAY FOR QUALITY STEEL OVER POOR QUALITY STEEL, PARTICULARLY WHEN KNOWING WHAT THE END USE FOR THE PRODUCT WILL BE.?

SO LET’S EXAMINE WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS WHERE U.S. STEEL CANNOT COMPETE AGAINST MANY OF ITS COMPETITORS THAT HAVE BUILT NEW, MODERN FACILITIES WITH NEW EQUIPMENT THAT IS SAFER TO OPERATE AND PRODUCES AT FASTER RATE OF SPEED.?

·?????? WHEN A FACILITY IS TOO OLD AND THE EQUIPMENT NEEDS REPLACED DUE TO ITS AGE AND USAGE, BUT CANNOT BE REPLACED DUE TO COST CONSTRAINTS, THERE IS GREATER DOWNTIME FOR MAINTENANCE JUST TO TRY AND KEEP PRODUCTION MOVING.? THIS NOT ONLY DOESN’T COMPETE AGAINST THE COMPETITORS THAT HAVE INVESTED OR BUILT NEW STEEL MILLS, BUT LACK OF PRODUCING AND DELIVERING THE PRODUCT AS A “QUALITY PRODUCT” BY THE PROMISED DELIVERY DATE, DELIVERY INTEGRITY SUFFERS AND SOMETIMES PENALTIES ARE ACCESSED AGAINST THE COMPANY THAT FAILS TO MEET DELIVERY DEADLINES, SO THE COST OF PRODUCTION GOES UP EVEN MORE SO.? ADDITIONALLY, OPERATING WITH OLDER ANTEQUATED EQUIPMENT OFTEN MEANS THAT SOME PRODUCT MAY BE EITHER BE FLAWED, OR IMPERFECT, YET SHIPPED TO A CUSTOMER, ONLY TO HAVE RETURNED FOR A “REWORK” AND THEN THE COMPANY HAS TO EAT THIS ADDITIONAL COST WITH BOTH PRODUCT AND LABOR.?

SO LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT THE CAPITAL TO INVEST IN U.S. STEEL’S OLD, ANTIQUATED EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES IN GENERAL, U.S. STEEL CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE MUCH OF ITS EQUIPMENT.?

·?????? DOWNTIME IS COSTLY BOTH FOR THE EMPLOYER, BUT ALSO FOR THE CUSTOMER AS DEPENDING ON WHETHER ITS FINISHED PRODUCT OR PARTIALLY FINISHED (TOLL WORK), THAT A CUSTOMER HAS ORDERED TO CUSTOMIZE SUCH PRODUCT ITSELF TO MEET ITS “DOWN THE ROAD CUSTOMER” NEEDS AS COMPANIES GIVE AND OFTEN AGREE TO PROVIDE THE PRODUCT ORDERED BY A SPECIFIC DEADLINE.? WHEN THAT DEADLINE ISN’T REACHED EITHER INTERNALLY WITHIN THE PLANT ITSELF, DUE TO DOWNTIME OR FAULTY EQUIPMENT OR FAILING EQUIPMENT THAT SIMPLY CANNOT OPERATE AT THE SAME PACE AS NEWER OR MORE EFFICIENT INNOVATIVE EQUIPMENT CAN, NOT ONLY CAN PENALTIES BE ASSESSED, BUT THERE’S ALWAYS THE RISK OF LOSING THAT CUSTOMER TO ONE OF THE EMPLOYER’S COMPETITORS BECAUSE THEY FIND OUT THAT THE COMPETITOR CAN NOT ONLY MEET ITS DELIVERY DEADLINE, BUT THE “REWORKS” DON’T EXIST, THE QUALITY IS ACCEPTABLE AND NOT QUESTIONABLE TO THE FINAL CUSTOMERS UTILIZATION/APPLICATION.

?THESE ISSUES RAISED ARE ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE LARGER PICTURE INVOLVED HERE THAT ACTUALLY SUPPORT THIS DEAL GOING WITH NIPPON STEEL IN THIS ACQUISITION.? OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER REASONS THAT JUSTIFY THE APPROVAL OF THIS DEAL.??

ADDITIONALLY, WHILE THERE MAY BE THIS MIND SET THAT SINCE TRUMP HAS BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT AND HE IS KNOWN AS THE “TARRIFF MAN,” THAT HE CAN REVIVE THE STEEL INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTRY BY USING TARRIFFS INSTEAD OF APPROVING THIS ACQUISITION THAT IS PENDING FURTHER CFIUS REVIEW AS HE CONTEMPLATES HIS DECISION.?

HOWEVER, IN ALL REALITY, TRUMP HAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDO A MAJOR WRONG MOVE BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.? WHY WOULD HE AGREE WITH BIDEN ON THIS ISSUE?? ACCORDING TO TRUMP, EVERY DECISION MADE BY BIDEN WAS WRONG FOR AMERICA AND TO REITERATE THIS, WE SAW TRUMP SIGN HUNDREDS OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE AS PRESIDENT TO PROOF HIS ARGUMENT.? SO A MAJOR QUESTION POINT FOR TRUMP IS, “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR ON APPROVING THIS ACQUISITION AND BACKING AWAY FROM THE POSITION THAT THIS CREATES A RISK TO OUR COUNTRY’S NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST?”??

ADDITIONALLY, IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT TAKING JOBS FROM AMERICANS BY ALLOWING NIPPON STEEL TO ACQUIRE U.S. STEEL BASED ON THE COMMITMENTS THAT NIPPON STEEL HAS MADE, NOT ONLY TO THE USW, BUT TO OUR COUNTRY, AMERICA AS WELL.? INSTEAD, THIS IS ONE OF OUR CLOSEST ALLIES CHOSING TO ACQUIRE A LARGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY THAT IS ICONIC, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE COMMITTED THAT THEY WILL NOT SUBSIDIZE ANY PRODUCTION OF STEEL PRODUCTS AND SHIP TO THE USA FROM ANY OF THEIR OTHER PLANTS EITHER IN JAPAN OR ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE THEY HAVE MANUFACTURING FACILITIES PRODUCING STEEL PRODUCTS.?

IT’S LONG PAST DUE THAT THE GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, GOVERNOR SHAPIRO PUBLICLY COMES ON BOARD WITH THIS DEAL AS THIS IS WHAT HIS CONSTITUIENTS WANT.? HE DIDN’T RUN, GET ELECTED THROUGH A PLEDGE THAT HE WOULD ONLY SUPPORT WHAT DAVE MCCALL, PRESIDENT OF THE USW WANTED HIM TO DO.? HE DIDN’T CAMPAIGN PROMISING TO DO WHATEVER CLEVELAND-CLIFFS CEO, LOURENCO GONCALVES WANTED HIM TO DO, AND PARTICULARY BASED ON WHAT GONCALVES CLAIMS HE WOULD DO WITH CLIFFS NAME BECOMING U.S. STEEL FACILITIES AND HIM RELOCATING TO THE PITTSBURGH HEADQUARTERS.? IN ALL LIKLIHOOD, THIS IS A FAULTY PROMISE JUST TO TICKLE THE EAR OF THE GOVERNOR AND DAVE MCCALL BUT THEY ARE EITHER TO BLINDED TO SEE IT OR TOO DEAF TO HEAR IT.

?SO SHOULD NIPPON STEEL AND U.S. STEEL STILL BELIEVE THAT THERE REMAINS A “PATH FORWARD” INVOLVING THIS DEAL, DESPITE ANCORA’S EXPRESSED INTEREST IN TAKING CONTROL OF THE COMPANY BASED ON ITS REPORTEDLY 0.18% STAKE IN THE COMPANY.? DESPITE CLEVELAND-CLIFFS GONCALVES CLAIMS TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH RIVAL “NUCOR STEEL” TO MAKE AN ALL-CASH OFFER FOR U.S. STEEL WITH A SCENERIO THAT LOOKS SOMETHING LIKE NUCOR TAKING ALL THE NON-UNION MINI-MILLS (INCLUDING THE BIG RIVER OPERATION IN ARKANSAS) AND CLIFFS TAKING EVERYTHING ELSE.?

A REAL INTERESTING QUESTION FOR USW PRESIDENT DAVID MCCALL IS WHY WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE UP OVER A THOUSAND POTENTIAL MEMBERS IN THIS DEAL WHEN YOU COULD EASILY ORGANIZE THE “BIG RIVER OPERATIONS” AFTER NIPPON STEEL PURCHASE WAS FINALIZED.? PERHAPS IT WOULD EVEN BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE THAT ARRANGEMENT PART OF AN ACTUAL BULLET POINT ON A NEGOTIATION PROCESS.?

REGARDLESS, THERE IS A CLEAR PATH FORWARD TO BRING CLOSURE TO THIS DEAL.? THIS DEAL IS SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THESE VARIOUS PLANTS AND FACILITIES ARE LOCATED.? IT IS SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MANY RELIGIOUS LEADERS THAT KNOW WHAT A “FAILED DEAL” WILL DO TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND JOBS, NOT ONLY IN THE PLANTS, BUT THE INDIRECT JOBS DOWN THE LINE.? THIS DEAL IS SUPPORTED BY MANY POLITICIANS IN THE AREAS IMPACTED BOTH LOCALLY, STATEWIDE, AND SOME NATIONALLY.? MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT THIS DEAL WITH NIPPON STEEL BEING THE COMPANY THAT ACQUIRES U.S. STEEL IS THE WORKERS.? SOME OF THEM ARE NON-UNION WORKERS AND GUESS WHAT, THEY COUNT TOO!

WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING IS THAT MANY OF THE WORKERS THAT ARE FOR THIS DEAL ARE USW MEMBERS, SOME OF THESE MEMBERS ARE LOCAL UNION LEADERS, LOCAL UNION PRESIDENTS, LOCAL UNION OFFICERS, WHO HAVE SPOKEN OUT ABOUT THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS DEAL OCCURRING.? THE UNTHINKABLE PART ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT THEIR VOICES ARE BEING MUZZLED! THEIR WORDS ARE BEING EDITED OUT! THEIR FACES AREN’T BEING SHOWN!? NOT BECAUSE “THEY” ARE ASHAMED OF THE POSITION THAT THEY ARE TAKING, BUT INSTEAD, IT’S THE LEADERSHIP OF THE USW INTERNATIONAL THAT IS? ASHAMED THAT THESE MEMBERS DON’T AGREE WITH THEIR STANCE ON THIS, SO THEY ARE QUASHING THEIR POSITIONS, THEIR VOICES, THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR DESIRES, THEIR FACES, AND SHAMING THEM FOR OPPOSING “THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ALMIGHTY USW.”??

WHEN THIS WRITER WAS FIRST ASKED FOR HIS OPINION OF USW PRESIDENT DAVID MCCALL, THE RESPONSE WAS ALWAYS THE SAME.? I HAD ALWAYS KNOWN MCCALL TO BE METHODICAL, MEASURED, ABLE TO RECOGNIZE A GOOD DEAL AND WILLING TO LISTEN AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.? IN BEING TOTALLY TRANSPARENT HERE, I DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT IT JUST MIGHT BE POSSIBLE THAT HE WAS BEING LOYAL TO SOMEONE OTHER THAN HIS MEMBERS, HIS CONSTITUIENTS THAT VOTED HIM INTO THE OFFICE OF VICE-PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION ONLY TO MOVE INTO THE PRESIDENT’S POSITION UPON TOM CONWAYS PASSING IN 2023.? IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS TO THIS WRITER THAT MCCALL HAS A GREATER ALLEGIANCE TO THE CEO OF CLEVELAND-CLIFFS, LOURENCO GONCALVES THAN HE HAS TO HIS MEMBERSHIP WHO WORKS FOR U.S. STEEL.? NOW THAT THIS IS OBVIOUS, WE MUST LOOK TOWARD A DIFFERENT APPROACH IN BRINGING ABOUT A RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER.?

JUST FOR THOUGHT, I REMIND MY READERS THAT MCCALL, DAVID JURY – CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE USW AND THE TWO (2) DISTRICT DIRECTORS, FLIPPO AND MILSAP THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AREAS WHERE THESE PLANTS ARE LOCATED ALL THOUGHT THAT THEIR GRIEVANCE THAT WAS FILED AND APPEALED TO ARBITRATION WAS A “SLAM DUNK.”? WELL, IT WAS A SLAM DUNK FOR THE EMPLOYER INSTEAD OF FOR THE UNION.? THIS IS BECAUSE THEY “THE ALMIGHTY USW” MIS-INTERPRETED CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LABOR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE USW AND U.S. STEEL THAT THEY THEMSELVES HAD PROPOSED AND NEGOTIATED IN THE BLA’S.? TALK ABOUT EGG ON THEIR FACES!?

SO IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THEY ARE ALSO MISINTERPRETING OTHER PROVISIONS OF THESE BLA’S THAT THEY ARE HANGING THEIR HATS ON IN THINKING CERTAIN THINGS HAVE TO OCCUR BEFORE CONSUMMATION OF SALE ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE?? THIS WRITER KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION BECAUSE HE HAS NEGOTIATED THESE SAME PROVISIONS IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE USW AND EMPLOYER’S.??

IN CLOSING, THIS WRITER WOULD SIMPLY URGE U.S. STEEL AND NIPPON STEEL TO CONSIDER WHAT THE APPROPRIATE PATH TO FRUITION IS.? WHAT IS THE ACTUAL “LEAST RESISTANT PATH” TO TAKE TO BRING THIS DEAL TO CLOSURE???

YES!? THERE IS A “PATH FORWARD” TO BRING ABOUT THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU ARE SEEKING.? WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO BOTH U.S. STEEL AND NIPPON STEEL, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE CORRECT PATH HAS EVADED YOU OR SIMPLY BEEN OVERLOOKED??

Submitted on January 27, 2025: Tim Dean, Dean Labor Management Consulting, LLC