NEGOTIATION NEWS

THE LATEST NEGOTIATION NEWS

UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE

February 25, 2007

Your negotiating committee has reached

a tentative agreement with the

company and is currently trying to make

arrangements to set a time and place

for a ratification meeting. Possibly this coming

Thursday, March 1st. We will

get word out about when and where ASAP.

Please be advised that according to our

International Constitution - "

Members who lose good standing shall

stand automatically expelled and

devoid of all membership rights." A member

who is more than one month in

arrears on dues is considered to be not in

good standing. In other words, any

one who has not paid their dues through

the end of January will not be

allowed to attend or vote at this

ratification meeting.

In order to give members a chance to catch

up on dues payments, Pete Savoy

will be at the Union Hall on Tuesday - from 7

to 10am - from 3 to 5pm - & from 7 to 8pm.

You can still pay dues to anyone that has

been collecting them at the plant

through Tuesday. All dues collections

must be turned in by Wednesday so

that we can get an up-to-date list of members

in good standing for our

meeting. No dues will be collected at the door.

If you have any questions -Call the Union Hall

(835-0604) -If no answer, please

leave a message.

Negotiations between the company and union were held October 16 & 17 2006. The company is starting to move on some of the issues. Will meet at a later date with the company on more issues.

January 09, 2006

We met with the Company on Dec. 27th and it was clear from their opening statement that they did not come to negotiate. "Whatcha got for us. We have come to receive." Even though the Company had not yet responded to our last proposal (on Dec. 5th) they wanted to see how much more we were going to give up! Bernie reminded them that they had not yet responded to our last proposal and he outlined our newest proposal. Our latest included moving from a 60% cap to a 70% cap on what employees would pay for spouse insurance, moving from 50% match on 401k (which the Co. gives at even its non-union plants) to a 37.5% match, and a reduction of 1/2 million dollars on what we were asking the Co. to contribute to our VEBA retiree insurance plan. The Co. then told us they needed time to look at both proposals and would get back to us in a couple of hours. After 45 minutes they returned and told us they were rejecting both proposals in their entirety and that they were very upset that we had not made any more concessions than that. (Our Dec. 5th proposal also included considerable movement.) They then said since we did not make enough movement there was no point in meeting any more and they hurriedly left. This was done even though we had scheduled to meet for two days (they were gone by 11:00 on the first day.) This was also done in spite of the fact that the Co. made no move in our direction on even one single issue. They "came to receive." not to give, not to negotiate, but to see how much more we were willing to give up.

Our regular monthly meeting will be Tuesday the 17th. Still working on times and place. Most likely will be 7:30 / 3:30 & 7:30 at the VVA hall. Pete will give us an update on this weeks Unity Council meeting in St. Paul.

Our Strike and Defense Committee is now meeting on Monday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 at our Union hall on Elgie.

December 09.2005

The meeting with the Co. on Monday did not go well. We went to negotiate but the Co. came to play games. We told them that an interim contract should include all of the items that we have agreed to so far in negotiations and where we have not agreed, we should refer to the old contract. They said the interim agreement should be their last firm proposal. They want it all their way or not at all. They have told us they are going to impose their last offer and we told them we do not agree to that.

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Gerdau Ameristeel have Locked Us Out Until Further Notice 05/26//05

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UNION PROPOSAL

6/02/05

1. The terms and conditions of the previous agreement that was set to expire on 3/31/05 will remain in full force and effect unless agreed upon otherwise.

2. Term of Agreement as previously agreed upon (3/31/07).

3. Investment Commitment attached.

4. Neutrality as previously proposed.

5. Economic Opportunity as attached.

6. Vacation for those with 10 years service = 224 hours.

7. Sunday premium - add $1

8. Profit Sharing shall be retroactive to 11/1/05.

9. VEBA contribution to be made by the Company on the following schedule:

A) Effective 4/1/05 $1.5 million + $.15 for each hour worked.

B) Effective 4/1/06 $1.5 million + $.15 for each hour worked.

10. Pension (As proposed on 4/19/05).

11. Insurance - Steelworkers Health & Welfare Fund (to be discussed)

13. Add vision care.

14. Accept Company proposal on Sickness and Accident.

The following is a list of the majority of the issues the Company has in their last, best & final offer:

1) Under the Management's Rights clause the Company wants to make changes which will allow them to unilaterally combine, alter expand or reduce our present job classifications.

2) Company wants to eliminate a penalty, which has been in our contract for years, that keeps supervisors from doing bargaining unit work.

3) Company wants to totally change our job classification system (CWS) to a new system (AIMM) and combine 24 classifications into 10.

4) Company wants to eliminate overtime pay for:

A) hours over 8 in a workday

B) hours on the 6^{th & 7th day in a workweek}

C) hours in a second reporting in a workday

D) hours out-of-rotation for shift workers E) hours over 12 at time and three quarter

5) Company wants to change from 12 to 16 the number of hours they can force employees to work

6) Company wants to eliminate holiday hours being counted towards 40 for overtime purposes

7) Company wants to cut vacations as follows:

Present vacations:                              Proposal:

1 year = 56 hours (1 week)                  1 year = 80 hours (2 weeks)
3 years =112 hours (2 weeks)               7 years = 120 hours(3 weeks)
5 years =168 hours (3 weeks)               15 years= 160 hours(4 weeks)

*Delete shift premiums which are paid on vacations.

8) Company wants a 4-year contract even though we have a previous commitment for 2 years. We are willing to go to a 4-year agreement if the Company will honor the previous commitment guidelines.

9) Company wants to eliminate penalties for miss assignment of overtime

10) Company wants to go to a pay grade system that would not allow for raises for 4 years or more for the bottom 1/3 of the jobs while giving the top 1/3 about $3.00 in raises over 4 years. Company would give a $500 payment to those who would not get a raise

11) Company wants to start all over on our pension accrual time and would increase it by $ 1 in the third year

12) Company's proposal on insurance is dramatically inferior to our present coverage

13) Company wants to add training language which would allow them to schedule training sessions even if they are not job related (captive audience meetings)

05/16/05 Latest Proposal from the Company***********************

DELETES overtime pay for - hours over 8 in a day, hours on the 6 th or 7 th day, hours on a second reporting shift, hours over 12 hrs. at time & 3/4...

DELETES counting holiday hours toward 40 in a week for overtime.

CUTS vacations from 168 hrs. after 5 years to:

120 hrs. after 7 years

160 hrs. after 15 years

CUTS pay rates to new schedule:

Red circle job that were cut and pay at present rate and $500 payment to those that get NO raise. Those in jobs listed will get NO raise untill rates catch up.

REMOVES penlties for supervisors working and violations of overtime proceedure.

ALLOWS COMPANY to force employees to work 16- hours in a day ( on your 36 hrs. week that would be 16 hrs. with no overtime pay)

Gerdau Ameristeel Beaumont Mill Proposed Rates

UGB Laborer Current Wage $16.07

Proposed Rates: *2005 $12.25 *2006 $12.35 *2007 $12.45 *2008 $12.80

Utility Person (Scarp Yard) Current Wage $12.45

Steel Making Laborer Current Wage $16.83

RM Utility Person Current Wage $16.83

Proposed Rates: *2005 $13.55 *2006 $13.65 *2007 $13.85 *2008 $14.30 for all three jobs class

Switchman (Scrap Yard) Current Wage $13.55

Conveyor Attendant Current Wage $16.99

Consumables Storekeeper Current Wage $17.47

Purchasing Storekeeeper Current Wage $17.47

Shipper Clerk Current Wage $17.47

Mobile Equipment Operator Current Wage $18.17

Proposed Rates *2005 $14.95 *2006 $15.10 *2007 $15.35 *2008 $15.85 for all six job class

Crane Operator (Scarp Yard) Current Wage $14.30

Burner/Crane Operator Current Wage $17.33

QA Inspector Current Wage $17.51

Shipper Current Wage $17.68

Finish Operator B Current Wage $17.85

Proposed Rates *2005 $16.35 *2006 $16.55 *2007 $16.90 *2008 $17.40 for all five job class

Charging Crane Operator Current Wage $17.51

Mechanic C Current Wage $17.82

Billet Yard Coordinator Current Wage $17.85

Finish Operator A Current Wage $17.85

Machinist C Current Wage $18.17

A/C Repairer C Current Wage $18.17

Refractoryman Current Wage $18.19

Proposed Rates *2005 $17.75 *2006 $18.05 *2007 $18.45 *2008 $18.95 for all seven job class

Mechanic B Current Wage $18.17

Casting Crane Operator Current Wage $18.19

Machinist B Current Wage $18.53

A/C Repairer B Current Wage $18.53

Refit Mechanic B Current Wage $18.88/$18.71

Mill Operator B Current Wage $19.89

Proposed Rates *2005 $18.85 *2006 $19.30 *2007 $19.90 *2008 $20.50 for all six job class

Mechanic A Current Wage $18.53

Env. Specialist Current Wage $18.53

2nd Helper Current Wage $18.37

Machinist A Current Wage $18.88

A/C Repairer A Current Wage $18.88

Mold Mechanic Current Wage $18.88

Mill Operator A Current Wage $18.89

2nd Caster Current Wage $18.89

Electrical Technician C Current Wage $19.05/$19.23

Maintenance Multicraft C Current Wage $19.05/$19.23

Refit Mechanic A Current Wage $19.05/$19.23

Proposed Rates *2005 $19.65 *2006 $20.30 *2007 $21.10 *2008 $21.80 for all 11 job class

Mill Feed/Furnace Operator Current Wage $19.23

Electrical Technician B Current Wage $19.40/$19.58

Maintenance Multicraft B Current Wage $19.40/$19.58

First Melter Current Wage $19.57

First Caster Current Wage $19.57

Proposed Rates *2005 $20.45 *2006 $21.25 *2007 $22.05 *2008 $22.95 for all five job class

LRF Operator Current Wage $19.74

Electrical Technician A Current Wage $19.74/$19.93

Maintenance Multicraft A Current Wage $19.74/$19.93

Proposed Rates *2005 $21.25 *2006 $22.15 *2007 $22.95 *2008 $23.95 for all three job class

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