Union: We Will Hold Nippon to Promises

Control over U.S. Steel offered to federal government ‘startling,’ McCall says

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
June 18, 2025
Posted in: State & Region

David McCall, president of the United Steelworkers union, addresses its constitutional convention in April. (Photo courtesy United Steelworkers)

The president of the union representing production employees at U.S. Steel called the so-called “golden share” awarded to the federal government “startling” and said his organization will hold the company’s new owners accountable for their promises.

David McCall, president of the United Steelworkers International, said that when media scrutiny of the Nippon Steel takeover wanes, the union will remain vigilant.

“As the sale concludes, it seems likely that attention will dissipate,” McCall said in a prepared statement. “U.S. Steel’s PR machine will power down, and the majority of elected officials will turn their attention elsewhere.”

“However, our union will remain,” he said. “We will continue watching, holding Nippon to its commitments. And we will use the most powerful tool workers have against global corporations: collective bargaining.”

On Wednesday, Japan-based Nippon Steel — the world’s fourth-largest steelmaker — announced that it has completed its takeover of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. The smaller company has 22,000 employees, including 3,000 at its three Mon Valley plants.

With the deal, U.S. Steel becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon.

U.S. Steel had been seeking a merger partner for more than two years.

The Steelworkers union had objected to the Nippon Steel takeover and threw its support behind a rival bid from an Ohio-based company, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.

“Management at U.S. Steel and Nippon have since December 2023 aggressively promoted their deal, pouring vast amounts of resources into down-playing concerns regarding both the long-term future of USW members’ jobs and our national security while ensuring their sale remained in the public view,” McCall said.

“It finally found acceptance by President Donald Trump, who now, through his ‘golden share’ has assumed a startling degree of personal power over a corporation,” he said.

The so-called “golden share” gives the federal government the right to appoint a member of the U.S. Steel board of directors, and gives the President of the United States veto power over certain business decisions, including whether or not the company can change its name, relocate out of the U.S., acquire competing businesses, and make certain decisions regarding the closure or idling of existing manufacturing facilities.

“Our current agreement expires in September 2026, and rest assured, if our job security, pensions, retiree health care or other hard-earned benefits are threatened, we are ready to respond with the full strength and solidarity of our membership,” McCall said.

Conflict of Interest Note: The author of this story has a conflict of interest. He is a U.S. Steel stockholder and a member of the United Steelworkers union.

Originally published June 18, 2025.

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