The USW's lack of angst against U.S. Steel Corp. and ArcelorMittal are an indication that labor negotiations with the companies are proceeding fairly well.

A union members who asked not to be identified said a fair observer could reasonably conclude that if the USW isn't blasting the company or handing out leaflets, there haven't been any major roadblocks disrupting the negotiating process.

Jim Robinson, United Steelworkers Distinct 7 director, said the negotiations on a labor agreement to replace the one expiring Aug. 30 are "slow, but they're going."

"Steel negotiations are pretty complex because we're dealing with 14 (ArcelorMittal) locations under the master agreement, plus three additional locations that aren't directly covered by it. There are a lot of issues to be worked through. With U.S. Steel, it's about the same."

Robinson had hoped to have an agreement to present to the USW membership by mid July. It will take about three weeks from the time a tentative agreement is reached between the companies and the bargaining teams until it can be approved by USW members, he said.

"Issues are being dealt through and revolved, but it's not correct to say they're settled because they're not settled until everything is settled," Robinson said. "We have every intention of getting a fair and equitable agreement prior to Sept. 1st, but on the other hand we're not going to settle for less than we think we should be achieving because of the date."

The USW's negotiating teams have spent 10 weeks in Pittsburgh with a week off for the their biennial convention the first week of July.

"And we're going to go back Thursday," said Tom Hargrove, president of USW Local 1010 at ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor East on Monday. "We'll get back together with the company Saturday. ... We'll get back and see how it goes."

In a handout distributed at the gates of the local ArcelorMittal plants. the USW said the union has submitted the last parts of a comprehensive proposal to the company.

"We now have all contract language, pension and health care proposals, and issues related to capital investment in the company's hands," the handout says. "Only the actual numbers for wages and pensions remain to be proposed, and those will of course be the result of final bargaining."

It also says most of our contract language issues remain unresolved, and the company has been slow to respond favorably to remaining issues although there has been "much progress" on local issues.

"We will not begin serious discussions of economics until we have the basic contract language issues settled," it says. "While the economics are certainly important, our rights in areas such as safety and health, seniority, contracting out, and many other sections of our contract will not be compromised."