<article><p class="lead">Integrated steelmaker US Steel has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as its negotiations with its unionized workforce drag on. </p><p>The company filed the complaint on 26 September, citing a lack of response from the United Steelworkers (USW) union it is negotiating a new contract with since US Steel submitted a contract offer on 30 August. The prior contract expired on 1 September, and both sides have indefinitely extended it while negotiations continue. </p><p>"We have continued to bargain in good faith, but, despite what the union has said, we have not received a response to our proposal from the USW," a US Steel spokeswoman said in a statement. </p><p>The USW has rejected US Steel's proposals and compared them to a tentative agreement made with rival steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs, which appears to offer better pay increases, among other benefits.</p><p>In a text message statement sent out yesterday, the USW called the charges filed by US Steel "frivolous." </p><p>In a 22 September bargaining update, the USW said it had proposed that US Steel invest $4bn in its unionized plants over the next four years compared with the steelmaker's $1bn in investment commitments. The proposed investments would include a new electric arc furnace (EAF) steel mill and direct reduced iron (DRI) plant at US Steel's Mon Valley Works outside of Pittsburgh, and the rebuilding of blast furnace A at the company's Granite City, Illinois steel mill. That mill is being considered as <a target="_blank" href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2345775">part of a sale</a> to SunCoke that would shutter its steelmaking capacity and convert the mill to pig iron production for US Steel's EAF operations.</p><p class="bylines">By Rye Druzin</p></article>
