U.S. Steel lockout begins

U.S. Steel Canada employees have been locked out by the company at its Hamilton plant.

Just after 7 p.m. Sunday, the company locked the gates of the Burlington Street facility, withdrawing the jobs of 900 workers.

In a letter to employees Saturday, the company made a final pitch for the “full and final offer” it sent the union on Thursday.

“This letter serves to advise you that the company and Local 1005 have been unable to reach a settlement on a renewal collective agreement, and as a consequence, the company will be locking out employees effective 7 p.m. Sunday, November 7, 2010,” it reads.

“This offer significantly amended the company’s earlier position of October 13, 2010, and we believe the offer is a fair and reasonable compromise of all the outstanding issues between the parties,” said the letter, signed by Gus Shuster, U.S. Steel Canada’s director of human resources. “Unfortunately, the Local 1005 bargaining committee rejected the offer and furthermore, to date, has refused to take this offer to the employees for a vote.

“It is unfortunate that these negotiations have led to a labour dispute but we also wanted you to know the specific terms of the company offer, which we believe to be a fair and reasonable position in the current circumstances,” the letter concludes.

The company’s last offer dropped its demand for concessions on vacation time, benefits and cost of living allowances, but held firm on the question of pensions.