BUSINESS/TARIFFS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UNION: “Thirteen United Steelworkers locals representing about 15,000 workers authorized a strike against Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, the USW announced Tuesday [9-18-18]. Members last week authorized a strike against U.S. Steel, arguing that the two companies (which together account for 40 percent of all flat-rolled steel production in the U.S.) weren’t passing through to workers their substantial profit gains from President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign metals…A strike authorization isn’t a strike, but it can lead quickly to a strike if progress isn’t made at the bargaining table. The USW is in contract negotiations with three companies: ArcelorMittal, U.S. Steel, and Cleveland Cliffs. The ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel contracts expired Sept. 1; the Cleveland Cliffs contract expires Oct. 1. As of Tuesday, negotiations with Cleveland Cliffs weren’t going well. The USW delivered a proposal to the Ohio-based company Friday [9-14-18] that addressed, it said, ‘real hourly wage increases, forced overtime, active health care coverage, and retiree health care coverage.’”
–Rebecca Rainy, “Will Trump’s tariffs prompt a steel strike?,” Politico, September 19, 2018 10:00 am