ArcelorMittal in Global Agreement on Occupational Health and Safety
Steelmaker, three unions promise to improve standards across 60 countries
Steelmaker, three unions promise to improve standards across 60 countries
ArcelorMittal has formed a global labor agreement with the United Steelworkers, European Metalworkers’ Federation, and the International Metalworkers’ Federation to improve occupational health and safety standards company wide. The agreement is said to be the first of its kind in the global steel industry, and the steelmaker states that it “recognizes the vital role played by trade unions in improving health and safety.”
Declaring the agreement would build on efforts already made by ArcelorMittal, chairman and CEO Lakshmi N. Mittal, stated: “Health and safety is our number one priority and in signing this agreement we hope to set a new benchmark for the industry. Innovation and a willingness to make bold decisions have been at the heart of our success. We are pleased to join our union partners and apply that same philosophy to our approach to health and safety.”
The agreement establishes minimum standards for each of ArcelorMittal’s locations, including a commitment to form joint management/union health and safety committees. It also anticipates as training and education programs to improve worker health and safety companywide.
Also, it establishes a joint committee of management and union representatives that will target plants in the organization in order to raise their worker health and workplace safety standards.
ArcelorMittal is the world’s largest steelmaker, and has an estimated 310,000 employees represented by the three labor unions in at plants in 60 countries, in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the U.S., ArcelorMittal (as well as rival U.S. Steel, and others) have begun negotiating a new labor agreement to replace the four-year contract that expires in September.
Leo Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers, said “Signing this agreement should act as a signal to other companies in the industry that unions are the solution to health and safety concerns, not the cause. Health and safety is the single most important issue for workers. It is satisfying that we have delivered this approach in the world’s number 1 steel company”.
Declaring the agreement would build on efforts already made by ArcelorMittal, chairman and CEO Lakshmi N. Mittal, stated: “Health and safety is our number one priority and in signing this agreement we hope to set a new benchmark for the industry. Innovation and a willingness to make bold decisions have been at the heart of our success. We are pleased to join our union partners and apply that same philosophy to our approach to health and safety.”
The agreement establishes minimum standards for each of ArcelorMittal’s locations, including a commitment to form joint management/union health and safety committees. It also anticipates as training and education programs to improve worker health and safety companywide.
Also, it establishes a joint committee of management and union representatives that will target plants in the organization in order to raise their worker health and workplace safety standards.
ArcelorMittal is the world’s largest steelmaker, and has an estimated 310,000 employees represented by the three labor unions in at plants in 60 countries, in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. In the U.S., ArcelorMittal (as well as rival U.S. Steel, and others) have begun negotiating a new labor agreement to replace the four-year contract that expires in September.
Leo Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers, said “Signing this agreement should act as a signal to other companies in the industry that unions are the solution to health and safety concerns, not the cause. Health and safety is the single most important issue for workers. It is satisfying that we have delivered this approach in the world’s number 1 steel company”.
