Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based US Steel Wednesday requested a provincial conciliator following four months of negotiations with the United Steel Workers Local 1005, potentially triggering a strike or lockout at the Ontario, Canada-based Hamilton plant.
In an announcement on its website, the union explained that once a conciliation officer is appointed, he or she will try to bring the sides together. If that fails, the officer will issue a "no board" report which would put either side in a strike/lock-out position after 17 days.
Therefore, if a no board report is issued Friday, Oct. 1, there could be picket lines in front of the Hamilton plant by Oct. 17.
While the old contract expired at the end of July, US Steel and the union have been trying to reach a new agreement since May. The main obstacle remains the company's demand to end pension indexing and convert the existing defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution scheme.