WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — President Donald Trump announced more details on the deal between Nippon Steel of Japan and U.S. Steel during a rally at U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works plant in West Mifflin.
“Oh you’re going to be happy, oh you’re going to be happy,” Trump said. “There’s a lot of money coming your way. A lot of money.”
Trump called the deal “an incredible deal for American steelworkers.”
“And Pittsburgh will very soon be respected around the world as the Steel City again, so I want to congratulate you,” Trump said.
Trump said Nippon is investing $14 billion in U.S. Steel. That includes a $2.2 billion investment to increase steel production in the Mon Valley. Trump said all steelworkers will keep their jobs, and every U.S. Steel worker will soon get a $5,000 bonus.
“For what you’ve gone through, you’ve gone through a lot, it’s closing it’s not closing, it’s opening, and you want to stay here!” Trump said.
The president also announced he’s increasing the current 25% tariff on imported steel to 50%.
“Which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States. Nobody’s going to get around that,” Trump said.
The United Steelworkers Union released a statement Friday night saying it was never involved in the discussions for the deal.
“We have not participated in the discussions involving U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel, and the Trump administration, nor were we consulted, so we cannot speculate about the meaning of the ‘planned partnership’ between USS and Nippon or the ‘golden share’ that some politicians have claimed will be issued to the federal government.
“Whatever the deal structure, our primary concern remains with the impact that this merger of U.S. Steel into a foreign competitor will have on national security, our members and the communities where we live and work.
“When the second CFIUS review was announced, we communicated to the Trump administration our concerns and objections.
“Nippon has a long history of committing unfair trade practices. Indeed, the International Trade Commission determined that the company violated U.S. trade laws in 13 different trade cases. Just last month, the Department of Commerce imposed duties of more than 200 percent on Nippon for the illegal dumping of steel. Yet, despite ongoing injury and continuing penalties, Nippon is being rewarded.
“The USW’s only concern has been and continues to be the long-term viability and sustainability of the current USS facilities, so as to safeguard the current and future economic, employment and retirement security of our members and their communities.
“There is a vast difference between public relations and putting commitments in writing, just as there is a vast difference between allowing shareholders and executives to cash-out and putting workers’ interests first.
“Any final deal that may emerge from discussions between the merger parties and the federal government must be viewed through that lens, and not the lens of wishful thinking that has been adopted by far too many politicians and others.
“Issuing press releases and making political speeches is easy. Binding commitments are hard. The devil is always in the details, and that is especially true with a bad actor like Nippon Steel that has again and again violated our trade laws, devastating steel communities in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
“Our members know from decades of negotiating contracts: Trust nothing until you see it in writing.”
Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek also spoke with State Representative Malcom Kenyatta, who serves as the Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee ahead of Trump’s visit to West Mifflin.
“This entire process, this entire process never centered the people who make the damn steel,” Kenyatta said. “This process never centered what this meant for the workers. It was always about what it meant for the profits of these huge corporations. It was never about what was best for the workers.”
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