CANTON ‒ The union representing about 1,200 steelworkers at Metallus, formerly TimkenSteel, has rejected a tentative agreement with the company, Metallus said late Oct. 30.
Both sides have not publicly released terms of the tentative agreement, which Metallus announced on Oct. 3.
“We are disappointed by the outcome of the ratification vote,” Mike Williams, the CEO of Metallus said in a written statement.
“The proposed agreement was the result of extensive negotiations and reflected our genuine commitment to providing competitive wages, strong benefits, and a safe working environment, while also supporting the long-term sustainability and growth of our business. We remain focused on reaching an equitable agreement that supports our employees’ job security while aligning with Metallus’ long-term strategic goals.”
Metallus, which manufactures steel and said it has about 1,850 employees in the Canton area, said it would agree to extend its current collective-bargaining agreement with Local 1123 to Jan. 29 to allow time for additional negotiations with the union’s bargaining committee.
The company, which said it had revenue of $1.1 billion in 2024, said its operations will proceed normally at least until then.
Messages were left seeking comment the evening of Oct. 30 for Willis McCoy, president of The Golden Lodge, United Steelworkers, Local 1123.
The company had announced on Oct. 3 that it had reached a tentative agreement with Local 1123.
According to a notice on Local 1123’s Facebook page, the union scheduled informational meetings about the contract on Oct. 16, Oct. 17, Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 at the local’s headquarters at 1234 Harrison Ave. SW. The ratification vote was then held on Oct. 30 at the Plumber and Pipefitters, Local No. 94 Training Center at 3825 13th St. SW in Canton.
Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Steelworkers union members reject tentative agreement with Canton-based Metallus
Reporting by Robert Wang, Canton Repository / The Repository
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