AK Steel and Middletown union back to square one

After members of the locked out union at AK Steel's Middletown Works overwhelmingly voted down the company's last contract offer Wednesday, AK Steel put another offer on the table which reduces many of the benefits offered in the defeated contract. The latest offer lowers previously proposed wage increases and specifies higher health care premiums, as well as a replacement of the proposed multi-employer pension plan with a 401(k) with a reduced hourly compensation rate. The new contract also calls for random drug testing. The union has told press that the latest offer was to "frighten and punish the membership for yesterday's failed ratification vote." AK Steel on the other hand said through spokesperson Alan Mccoy, “While our final clarified proposal was one last opportunity to reach agreement on a very generous proposal, we could no longer ignore the continuing changes in our industry or the improvements at Middletown Works.” Both sides say there are no further bargaining sessions scheduled at this time.