After former President Biden stopped a multibillion-dollar deal that would allow Japan’s Nippon Steel to purchase U.S. Steel, U.S. Steel workers drafted an open letter to Trump this week. The letter expressed the workers’ opposition to the Pittsburgh company selling to their competitor in Cleveland.
“Frankly, the way Cleveland-Cliffs CEO spoke about the Japanese people was offensive to so many people that I can’t imagine why anyone would want to work for that type of person or company,” the letter said.
Workers still favor the originally proposed $14.9 billion deal that would sell the company to Japan’s Nippon Steel.
U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky became the latest Republican lawmaker to speak out against Biden’s decision to block the deal in January, which was made with the reasoning of national security and keeping the company American-owned. Senator Paul wrote in an op-ed, “The workers closest to the problems, such as the rank-and-file laborers in Clairton Coke Works, understand the need for an infusion of cash to modernize their plant.”
The letter to Trump authored by workers said that Cleveland-Cliffs “doesn’t have the money or the know-how to make U.S. Steel great again or to make the investments that Nippon has committed.” The letter continued, “Nippon Steel’s commitments include at least $2.7 billion that will be dedicated to improving steel facilities that employ USW-represented workers like me. The committed upgrades will breathe new life into our assets and a certain future for thousands of union jobs across the United States.”
Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute trade group, said President Trump’s “reinvigorated trade policy agenda” will “tackle many of the issues that are priorities for the American steel industry” including unfair trade.
He said in a statement, “We look forward to working with President Trump and members of the new administration to ensure the continued competitiveness of the American steel industry and to strengthen American manufacturing as a whole.”
U.S. Steel declined to comment on the new proposals until they are formalized.
Add Comment