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US Steel, union to resume bargaining this week

  • Spanish Market: Coking coal, Metals
  • 03/10/22

Contract negotiations between integrated steelmaker US Steel and the United Steelworkers (USW) union are set to resume this week.

The two sides will meet on 5 October to work on a contract that would replace an agreement that expired on 1 September, USW said in a statement. Both sides indefinitely extended the prior contract at the end of August as they continued to disagree over key details, such as pay and health care.

US Steel on 26 September filed an unfair practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, saying the union had not responded to its 30 August proposal.

The company on 29 September said it submitted an updated proposal to the union, increasing its pay proposal for the first year to 4pc from a previous proposal of 3pc, and keeping pay increases for the next three years unchanged. The company also revised its health care proposal to the union.


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22/01/25

Eurofer seeks 50pc cut to flat steel quotas

Eurofer seeks 50pc cut to flat steel quotas

London, 22 January (Argus) — EU import quotas for flat carbon steel should be cut by 50pc to create a "healthier" balance between domestic supply and imports, European steel association Eurofer said in a filing to the European Commission as part of its functional safeguard review. The Eurofer response was sent on 10 January, but only made public on the case file today, much to the chagrin of importers. The last day for feedback was 13 January, after distributors' association Eurometal requested an extension, which was granted for just three days, over a weekend. It also suggested that there should be individual quotas on Chinese product, even where dumping duties are in place, and that Chinese material processed elsewhere be counted against this quota with dumping duties applied. The current level of imports is resulting in excess supply of 8.75mn t — 4mn t on hot-rolled coil (HRC), 1.2mn t on cold-rolled coil (CRC) and 2.8mn t on hot-dip galvanised (HDG), Eurofer said. Eurofer reiterated its belief that 25pc duties are not sufficient and that an average rate of 34pc should be applied, with no pro-rata duty on the first day of a new quarter. It also said the 15pc country caps imposed on the other countries' quota for HRC be applied to other categories, such as CRC and HDG. On CRC, a 10pc cap should be imposed, it said. On HRC, that other countries' cap should be lowered from 15pc to 7pc. The carry-over of unused quotas should also be stopped, if not capped, the association said, adding that there should be no liberalisation of quota volume in the last year of the safeguard. By Colin Richardson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump takes aim at EVs in early actions


21/01/25
21/01/25

Trump takes aim at EVs in early actions

Houston, 21 January (Argus) — US President Donald Trump put in writing his long-exepected plans to undo any incentives for electric vehicles (EVs), proclaiming the end of "the EV mandate". In the Executive Order "unleashing American Energy", Trump called for "... the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies and effectively mandate their purchase by individuals, private businesses, and government entities alike by rendering other types of vehicles unaffordable." The order takes aim at other environmental efforts from the administration of former president Joe Biden, including rolling back Environmental Protection Agency powers on greenhouse gas emissions. The "EV mandate" is a term used by Trump regarding Biden's 2021 executive order "Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks" which aimed for 50pc of US new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. Trump's move could signal the eventual end of the $7,500 tax credit for EV purchases, which applies only if vehicles meet critical mineral and battery component requirements. The requirements aim to strengthen the US domestic EV supply chain and reduce reliance on China. By Carol Luk Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Major NOLA terminals closed for winter storm


21/01/25
21/01/25

Major NOLA terminals closed for winter storm

Houston, 21 January (Argus) — The port of New Orleans remains closed on Tuesday afternoon due to US Gulf coast snow storms, causing terminals to shut or declare force majeures. Port officials cut off water supplies to port facilities beginning 19 January because of freezing temperatures, significant snowfall and high winds forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS). Operations are expected to be down at least for the rest of today. Host's United Bulk Terminal location at Nola declared force majeure on 20 January because of an expected 3-6 inches of snowfall. The port of Lake Charles in Louisiana also closed on 20 January and the Sabine-Neches Waterway on the Texas-Louisiana border was closed on 21 January. Associated Terminals at Nola closed its doors early on 21 January due to the storm. The company said vessels will be discharged once weather conditions improve and personnel are able to return to the site, but did not give a specific date. Major barge line ARTco, the transportation arm of ADM, shut down operations as well and is anticipated to return to 22 January if weather permits. CGB Barge has also halted operations in New Orleans and is waiting for conditions to improve before resuming work. Arctic conditions are anticipated at the port through Thursday, according to the NWS. Travel will be hazardous due to the snow, ice and wind chill of up to 20mph. By Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Large N.EU mill may further hike HRC offer price


21/01/25
21/01/25

Large N.EU mill may further hike HRC offer price

London, 21 January (Argus) — A large north European steelmaker is contemplating increasing its recently tabled hot-rolled coil offer of €600/t to €620/t. The mill cited strong sales via its online platform, a reduction in import penetration and some increase in apparent demand as the main reasons for the potential move. There has been no strengthening in real demand, but supply tightness from 1 April — led by the ongoing safeguard review and the anti-dumping case on Egypt, Japan, India and Vietnam — will support prices, one executive at the company said. "Even though the distribution market is not there yet, we're gaining traction [with increases] and they need to get on board. From a real demand perspective, there is no step up, but the price strength should come from the supply equation, and we do expect looking at imports there will be more tightness there", the executive added. In their discussions with the European Commission, mills have asked for an overall quota reset as demand has fallen 20pc since the safeguard started, and duty-free volumes have been liberalised by around 15pc. They have also requested an end to pro-rata duties on the first day of a quota resetting, and for a higher duty above 25pc. Producers have also requested the 15pc other countries cap, currently applied to hot-rolled coil and wire rod, be rolled out on downstream coil products. The market has moved up by €18.75/t since returning from the Christmas holiday, according to Argus ' benchmark northwest EU HRC index, which has increased from €558.25/t to €577/t since 2 January. Some traders have been gearing up for an increase in prices on the back of curtailed import supply, but service centres are still grappling with low end-demand and competition for sheet sales. Egypt, Japan, India and Vietnam have represented 40-58pc of the EU import market at the reopening of quarterly quotas recently, so any dumping duties could have a meaningful impact on their volumes. The safeguard review could also see overall duty-free imports drop by around 20pc, according to some market participants. Some suggest HRC imports could fall from 8mn t and above to around 5mn t, on the back of the review and the dumping investigation. By Colin Richardson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Viewpoint: Why EVs hold the key to the next US election


20/01/25
20/01/25

Viewpoint: Why EVs hold the key to the next US election

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