This Morning in Metals: Steelworkers reach tentative deal to end three-month ATI strike
This morning in metals news: the United Steelworkers union this week announced it had reached a tentative deal with Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) to end a three-month strike; meanwhile, Ford China’s sales rose by 24% in the first half of the year; and, lastly, the U.S. and Mexico announced a course of remediation under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Rapid Response Labor Mechanism.
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USW announces tentative deal to end ATI strike
The United Steelworkers union in late March announced a strike at nine ATI facilities, citing “unfair labor practices.”
About three months later, that strike appears to be at an end.
The union this week announced it had reached a tentative deal on a four-year contract with ATI to end the labor stoppage.
“Broadly, the proposed agreement provides lump sum payments, meaningful wage increases and maintains a premium-free health insurance plan for union members without establishing a permanent lower tier of benefits for new hires,” the USW said in a release earlier this month.
“If the proposed agreement is ratified, the recall process would begin immediately, and USW members are expected to return to work shortly after the ratification process is complete.”
Ford China touts sales rise
Ford China reported its first-half sales jumped by 24%.
Sales exceeded 306,700 vehicles, the automaker said.
“This growth came despite the challenge of the global semiconductor shortage, which impacted Ford sales in Greater China in the second quarter, with sales of approximately 152,900 units representing a decline of 3.6% year-over-year,” Ford said in a release.
In addition, sales of Lincoln luxury vehicles jumped by 111.4% year over year. Meanwhile, Ford brand passenger vehicle sales rose by 6%.
US, Mexico reach remediation for workers at GM facility in Mexico
Lastly, we recently noted the one-year anniversary of the USMCA, in addition to the inaugural meeting of the agreement’s Labor Council.
In a statement, the United States Trade Representative said the two countries announced a course of remediation under the USMCA’s Rapid Response Labor Mechanism. The remediation will cover the loss of worker rights at the General Motors facility in Silao, Mexico.
“The United States and Mexico today announced a course of remediation which seeks to provide the workers of the General Motors facility in Silao, Mexico with the ability to vote on whether to approve (legitimize) their collective bargaining agreement in free and democratic conditions, and to remediate the denial of the right of free association and collective bargaining to workers at the facility,” the USTR said in a statement. “This first course of remediation under United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s novel Rapid Response Labor Mechanism reflects the shared intent of the United States and Mexico that trade benefit workers.”
In addition, the course of remediation’s end date is Sept. 20, 2021.
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