U.S.

U.S. Steel and Workers back at the table

For the first time in almost a year, officials from U.S. Steel and the union representing its 900 locked out Hamilton workers will meet at a negotiating table.

The September 13th meeting was arranged by provincial mediator Simon Clark to allow the company to table a “comprehensive settlement” offer to the union.

U.S. Steel locked out the workers from the former stelco plant last november when they failed to agree on a new contract.

United Steelworkers Union president Rolf Gerstenberger calls the move a positive development and says he hopes it means the company wants to settle after proposing reduced pensions during the last round of talks.

Sticking points in the dispute are company demands to close the current defined benefit pension plan to new employees and to end pension indexing for current retirees.