Mrvan Leads Letter to Administration Seeking Clarity in U.S. Steel Acquisition
Washington, DC – Recently, Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, Vice Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, led members representing steel-producing districts across the country in a letter to the Administration requesting additional information regarding the Nippon Steel acquisition of United States Steel.
Specifically, the letter to President Trump seeks assurance that workers will be fully and actively informed and involved in decisions impacting the workforce, including the transfer of jobs, closure or idling of facilities, or reduction of capital investments.
Congressman Mrvan stated, “For generations, members of the United Steelworkers in Northwest Indiana have operated Gary Works, the largest integrated steel mill in North America, and they deserve a seat at the table where decisions about their livelihoods are being made. We must recognize the essential contributions of all steelworkers, not only to the success of our steel industry, but to our communities, our economy, and our national security. All negotiations pertaining to U.S. Steel must honor the contributions of steelworkers and include them in decision making processes.”
Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) stated, "When the Nippon deal was announced, Granite City was left in the dark. No steelworkers were at the table, and there were no concrete commitments to deliver for Granite City. We’re demanding clear answers on how this deal will move forward — and how the President will protect jobs here in Illinois and for steelworkers across America. I’m committed to their futures, and this administration should be too.”
Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) stated, “With Nippon’s acquisition of U.S. Steel, I will be crystal clear: we need ironclad guarantees about the Steelworkers’ jobs and contractual rights, the Pittsburgh headquarters, and investment into Western PA. And we need to know that Steelworkers will have a seat at the table through it all. Alongside labor and industry, I will keep working with the White House, Governor Shapiro, and federal and local leaders to make sure our region emerges stronger than ever.”
USW International President David McCall stated, “U.S. Steel’s highly skilled workforce deserves transparency about the promises Nippon made to get its acquisition approved – and even more importantly, the mechanisms in place to hold it to those commitments. Our union applauds Rep. Mrvan’s efforts to shed light on the administration’s role in this transaction and ensure workers’ needs remain paramount.”
The text of the letter is below and a pdf is available here.
Dear President Trump,
As Members representing steel-producing districts across the country, we write to request additional information regarding the Nippon Steel acquisition of United States Steel. Maintaining a strong domestic steel industry and workforce is vital for supporting our military, securing critical supply chains, and sustaining our energy security. We must ensure that this deal includes all necessary protections to preserve our workforce and safeguard our national security.
While some broad details regarding the merger have been made public over the last few weeks, there remains a lack of clarity over how the “golden share” will be operationalized and whether there are sufficient protections for workers. In Secretary Lutnick’s post on social media on June 14, he describes that the “golden share” would prevent Nippon from taking certain actions without consent of the President. However, it is unclear how those decisions may be reached and what stakeholders will be consulted to assess the scope of impact.
In our view, it is critical that workers have a seat at the table for any decisions impacting workforce, whether that be the transfer of jobs, closure or idling of facilities, or reduction of capital investments. Sustaining and protecting our domestic steel manufacturing workforce is critical to the long-term viability of the industry and to our national security. We therefore seek your assurance that United Steelworkers lead bargainers and workers be fully and actively informed and involved in such decisions.
Additionally, it is unclear what, if any, enforcement mechanisms will be in place to hold Nippon accountable for upholding their commitments outlined in this deal. Nippon has a long history of unfair trade practices that have directly harmed domestic producers and workers. There must be proper accountability measures to ensure that this company follows through on its promises.
We request that any documents that outline (i) the rights to be provided to the U.S. government through the issuance of a “golden share;” (ii) how the “golden share” will be operationalized and what parties will be involved in decision making; (iii) what enforcement mechanisms are in place to hold the companies accountable for maintaining their commitments; (iv) what provisions, if any, will cover the operations and decisions of the parent company; or (v) any other change to the previously disclosed merger agreement be provided to us.
Our top priority is to protect the health and strength of the domestic steel manufacturing workforce. As this transaction moves forward, more transparency is needed to guarantee that critical facilities across the country – such as Gary Works in Indiana, Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania or Granite City Works in Illinois – will continue to thrive for generations to come. Our economic and national security depend on these facilities.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and stand ready to work with you now that you have made the decision to allow the transaction to proceed, to ensure that these investments proceed with the best interests of American workers in mind.
Sincerely,
Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01)
Congressional Steel Caucus Vice Chairman
Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13)
Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17)
Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06)
Rep. André Carson (IN-07)
Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Rep. Haley M. Stevens (MI-11)
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08)
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