U.S. Steel to lockout 1,000 Nanticoke workers

TORONTO—U.S. Steel plans to lock almost 1,000 unionized workers at its Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke, Ont., this weekend.

Notice of the lockout was sent to the United Steelworkers Union on Thursday under a mutual agreement to give 72-hours notice of a strike or lockout.

The Canadian arm of the largest steel maker in the U.S. has had a veritable hit parade of labour actions since its controversial 2007 acquisition of Stelco.

On Tuesday, the union membership voted 70 per cent to reject a final contract offer from the company that would eliminate cost-of-living wage increases, reduce holidays and amount to a virtual standstill in wages.

William Ferguson, president of Steelworkers Local 8782, said workers would have received an extra $1 an hour under the company’s latest offer, but that had already been mandated under the cost-of-living clause in the previous agreement.

In all there, are 978 members of the bargaining unit at Nanticoke, he said.

The union offered earlier this week to keep its members on the jobs and negotiate further, but that was rejected by the company.

The lockout it slated to begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday.