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Contract negotiations continue between United Steelworkers Local 169 and Cleveland-Cliffs Mansfield Works, with workers remaining on the job under a temporary extension.
The contracts covering Local 169 members expired September 1. A 30-day extension is keeping employees working under the existing terms while negotiations continue.
According to the United Steelworkers, negotiators have reached tentative agreements involving safety, training and portions of the contract language.
However, several major issues remain unresolved, including wages, pensions, health-care costs and incentive programs.
The union says Cleveland-Cliffs has moved away from a proposal that would have placed all workers into a high-deductible health plan, but disagreements remain over health-care costs for active employees and pre-Medicare retirees.
The union has also said wage increases and pension improvements remain unresolved.
If negotiators reach a tentative agreement, Local 169 members would receive information about the proposed contract before voting on ratification.
The Mansfield Works is one of Richland County’s major industrial employers, making the negotiations significant for hundreds of local workers and their families.
