AK Steel starts negotiations in Zanesville

Taking precautions to avoid another Middletown situation, AK Steel is currently negotiating a contract with the union that represents about 175 workers at its Zanesville plant. The company and the Zanesville union, United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 4104, have met three times over the past week. The workers' contract expires May 20. AK's next meeting with the Armco Employees Independent Federation, which represents about 2'600 Middletown employees, is scheduled for Tuesday. The company has met 23 times with the AEIF since the workers were locked out March 1. AK will have to negotiate yet another contract in 2006, as the current contract for UAW Local 3303 in Butler, Pennsylvania will expire September 30, 2006.