AK reaches tentative labor agreement with UAW

AK Steel announced Wednesday that it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the 200 hourly workers at its Zanesville, Ohio plant whose current contract will soon be expiring. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed yet, as the union, the United Auto Workers Local 4104, must still ratify the contract before it will become final. Meanwhile, the Armco Independent Employees Federation (AEIF), who represents the locked out Middletown workers, presented to AK Steel a comprehensive new contract proposal during a Tuesday meeting. Exact terms have not been released as the company is still analyzing the proposal, but according to AK, the major sticking points between the two sides are still workforce size, wages, and the union's right to strike over arbitration decisions. Negotiators from AEIF and AK Steel will meet again Thursday morning.