In US Steel, they have shut down the blast furnace and are laying off employees en masse: Will there be a strike?! – New time

In the US Steel Košice steel mills, the strike emergency continues and the vote on the declaration of a strike is underway. The union announced a strike emergency for a dispute in collective bargaining as early as April 25. “As for the increase in wages, we did not agree, because it is still conditioned by the increase in working hours. That is why we are collecting signatures, we are following the path of our legislation, which means the possibility of declaring a strike,” the chairman of the Trade Union Council of OZ KOVO in the metallurgical company Juraj confirmed to TASR on Wednesday Varga. The result of the strike vote could be known next week. The trade unionists identified the employer’s reluctance to adequately increase tariff wages for this year and his efforts to further extend weekly working hours as the main reasons for the strike alert. Negotiations with the participation of the mediator did not lead to an agreement on the amendment to the collective agreement, the proposals presented to her were rejected by the trade unions as unacceptable. The trade unionists want to keep working hours at the level of 35.5 hours. According to last year’s agreement, the employer can extend working hours at selected centers by two hours per week, but for a maximum of three months. Further extension is subject to approval by the trade union, but for a maximum of another three months. According to the information brought by TV Markíza, US Steel is going to shut down blast furnace no. 2 for 60 days. They are planning a shutdown, which is related to the increase in energy prices. The measures will not be without the dismissal of employees who are to receive the incentive program from the steel mills. The incentive program should consist in the fact that every employee who voluntarily leaves by September 13, i.e. terminates the employment relationship by agreement, will receive a large one-time severance pay. The trade unionists signed this amendment to the collective agreement.