Striking steelworkers need support
GENEVA: The International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) is asking its affiliates to support striking members of the steelworkers’ union in Venezuela, SUTISS (Sindicato Unico de Trabajadores de la Industria Siderúrgica y sus Similares), a part of the IMF affiliate in Venezuela, FETRAMETAL.
Trade union officials and members have for six months, unsuccessfully, attempted to engage the management at the SIDOR steel plant in discussions on their pay and working practices. In order to force management to the negotiating table, the unions has taken action and went on strike.
Since Hugo Chavez became president in December 1998, he has been trying to destroy the trade union movement in Venezuela. He has forced all of the elected trade union leaders to resign their posts, and will soon be requiring the trade unions to conduct ballots to elect a new leadership.
“Against this background of oppression the leaders of the steel union SUTISS have taken a very courageous stand,” general secretary Marcello Malentacchi says in a letter to the IMF affiliates. He has also sent a letter of support to the union, SUTISS;
and letters of strong criticism to Mr.Hugo Chaves,President, Venezuela;
Mrs. Blancanieves Portocarro, Minister of Labour, Venezuela;
the Managing Director of SIDOR;
and Chairman of the board of Directors of the parent company, Consorcio Amazonia.
Malentacchi is asking all IMF affiliates to send similar letters.
PITTSBURGH,USA: United Steelworkers of America (USWA) President Leo Gerard today applauded the Bush Administration’s announcement that it would seek relief from illegal dumping of foreign steel by invoking Presidential action under Section 201 of the U.S Trade laws.
“When we met with Bush Cabinet members last Friday,” Gerard said, “local leaders of our Union made it powerfully clear that failure to act to stop the flood of illegal trade in steel would result in devastation to hundreds of thousands of steelworkers, steelworker retirees and steel communities. We urge the Administration to file its Section 201 action immediately, to make it comprehensive, and to seek emergency interim relief.”
“Today’s progress,” Gerard said, “is the result of unprecedented activism by steelworkers throughout this country who have written more than half a million letters to Washington urging action to cope with the steel crisis. We will continue our work to ensure a comprehensive solution to save this vital American industry.”
Gerard said that a comprehensive Section 201 would need to cover a broad range of product lines, including semi-finished steel, iron ore and coke production.
“We’re committed to continue working with the Administration and other allies to ensure a comprehensive 201,” Gerard said , “but that alone will not address the threat of hundreds of thousands of retirees losing their health insurance or the industry’s need for investment capital.”
The USWA said it was also willing to work with the Administration on its plan to conduct multi-lateral negotiations to reduce the global overcapacity of steel, but cautioned that it would continue to urge that U.S. capacity be maintained. Currently, U.S. steel producers can only supply 80% of domestic demand, even when operating at 100% of capacity.
USWA applauds Bush initiative to protect U.S. steel industry
USA: According to a press release, the USWA president, Leo Gerard, has applauded the Bush administration’s announcement it would seek relief from illegal dumping of foreign steel by invoking presidential action under Section 201 of the U.S. trade laws.
“Today’s progress is the result of unprecedented activism by steelworkers throughout this country,” Gerard said. “We’re committed to continue working with the administration and other allies to ensure a comprehensive 201.”
A Section 201 case means that the Bush administration will initiate an investigation through the International Trade Commission, a government agency. If the ITC finds steel imports have seriously harmed the U.S. steel industry, the administration would be able to impose tariffs or quotas on imports without breaching its WTO obligations.
The USWA also says it is willing to work with the administration on its plan to conduct multilateral negotiations to reduce the global overcapacity of steel.
Click on the associated link to read the USWA press release.
Daewoo workers protest at GM meeting
USA: On Tuesday, June 5, union members of South Korea’s Daewoo Motor and the Korean Metal Workers’ Federation (KMWF) presented shareholders from General Motors with letters of protest against the American automaker’s proposed takeover of the Korean company.
Kim Joo-hee, international secretary of the KMWF, said that the union was prepared to hold strikes at Daewoo plants and at other Korean automakers if GM succeeded in taking over Daewoo.
“We don’t want GM to take over Daewoo,” she said. “It is expected that when GM takes over Daewoo, there are going to be more dismissals.”
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has been assisting the KMWF/Daewoo unionists during their visit to the U.S.
World Steel Market: 1999 and 2000
| |
Crude Steel Production |
Finished
Steel
Production |
Imports |
Exports |
Apparent Steel Consumption |
|
EU |
155.5 |
140.0 |
22.9 |
22.2 |
140.7 |
|
Other Europe |
35.7 |
30.7 |
14.6 |
20.6 |
24.7 |
|
USA |
96.2 |
83.1 |
33.1 |
5.1 |
111.1 |
|
Canada |
16.2 |
14.0 |
6.3 |
4.4 |
15.9 |
|
Mexico |
15.3 |
13.0 |
2.2 |
6.0 |
9.2 |
|
Australia & N. Zealand |
8.9 |
8.1 |
1.6 |
3.5 |
6.2 |
|
Japan |
94.2 |
87.9 |
4.8 |
26.3 |
66.4 |
|
Korea |
41.0 |
38.3 |
8.9 |
13.7 |
33.5 |
|
OECD |
463.1 |
415.1 |
94.2 |
101.4 |
407.9 |
|
Czech Republic |
5.6 |
4.6 |
2.3 |
3.7 |
3.2 |
|
Hungary |
1.8 |
1.6 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
1.6 |
|
Norway |
0.6 |
0.6 |
1.4 |
0.8 |
1.2 |
|
Poland |
8.8 |
7.2 |
2.2 |
3.1 |
6.3 |
|
Slovak Republic |
3.6 |
3.1 |
0.7 |
2.7 |
1.1 |
|
Switzerland |
1.0 |
0.9 |
2.1 |
1.3 |
1.7 |
|
Turkey |
14.3 |
12.9 |
4.8 |
8.1 |
9.6 |
|
Australia |
8.2 |
7.4 |
1.3 |
3.1 |
5.6 |
|
New Zealand |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
|
Brazil |
25.0 |
22.1 |
0.7 |
10.0 |
12.8 |
|
Bulgaria |
1.9 |
1.5 |
0.2 |
1.3 |
0.4 |
|
India |
24.3 |
20.4 |
1.5 |
2.5 |
19.4 |
|
Romania |
4.3 |
3.5 |
0.4 |
2.2 |
1.7 |
|
Russia |
49.8 |
37.7 |
1.2 |
22.4 |
16.5 |
|
Ukraine |
26.8 |
19.8 |
0.1 |
19.2 |
0.7 |
World Steel Market: 2,000
| |
Crude Steel Production |
Finished
Steel
Production |
Imports |
Exports |
Apparent Steel Consumption |
|
EU |
163.10 |
147.0 |
26.5 |
25.3 |
148.2 |
|
Other Europe |
45.32 |
33.1 |
16.6 |
22.3 |
27.4 |
|
USA |
100.99 |
87.7 |
35.0 |
6.1 |
116.6 |
|
Canada |
16.56 |
14.1 |
8.6 |
4.7 |
18.0 |
|
Mexico |
15.94 |
13.5 |
2.6 |
6.1 |
10.0 |
|
Australia & N. Zealand |
9.28 |
7.2 |
1.5 |
3.0 |
5.7 |
|
Japan |
106.44 |
99.4 |
5.2 |
28.8 |
75.8 |
|
Korea |
43.12 |
39.9 |
11.5 |
13.7 |
37.7 |
|
OECD |
500.75 |
440.7 |
108.1 |
109.1 |
439.7 |
|
Czech Republic |
6.22 |
5.2 |
2.4 |
3.6 |
4.0 |
|
Hungary |
1.84 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
1.0 |
1.8 |
|
Norway |
0.68 |
0.7 |
1.5 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
|
Poland |
10.57 |
8.6 |
2.2 |
3.8 |
7.0 |
|
Slovak Republic |
3.73 |
3.2 |
0.8 |
3.2 |
0.8 |
|
Switzerland |
1.10 |
1.0 |
2.2 |
1.4 |
1.8 |
|
Turkey |
14.33 |
12.9 |
6.2 |
8.6 |
10.5 |
|
Australia |
8.51 |
6.5 |
1.2 |
2.6 |
5.1 |
|
New Zealand |
0.77 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.6 |
|
Brazil |
27.75 |
24.5 |
1.0 |
9.7 |
15.8 |
|
Bulgaria |
2.03 |
1.7 |
0.2 |
1.4 |
0.5 |
|
India |
26.92 |
22.6 |
1.7 |
2.9 |
21.4 |
|
Romania |
4.70 |
3.8 |
0.4 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
|
Russia |
57.59 |
43.6 |
1.4 |
24.5 |
20.5 |
|
Ukraine |
31.29 |
23.2 |
0.2 |
20.2 |
3.2 |
Balance of Steel Trade: 2,000
| |
Imports |
Exports |
Trade Balance |
|
USA |
35.0 |
6.1 |
– 28.9 |
|
Japan |
5.2 |
28.8 |
+ 23.6 |
|
Russia |
1.4 |
24.5 |
+ 23.1 |
|
Ukraine |
0.2 |
20.2 |
+ 20.0 |
|
Brazil |
1.0 |
9.7 |
+ 8.7 |
|
Canada |
8.6 |
4.7 |
– 3.9 |
|
Mexico |
2.6 |
6.1 |
+ 3.5 |
|
Turkey |
6.2 |
8.6 |
+ 2.4 |
|
Slovak Republic |
0.8 |
3.2 |
+ 2.4 |
|
South Korea |
11.5 |
13.7 |
+ 2.2 |
World Steel Capacity-Utilisation:2,000
| |
Capacity |
Production |
Capacity Utilisation |
|
European Union |
203.70 |
163.10 |
80.1 |
|
Other Europe |
59.90 |
45.32 |
75.6 |
|
CIS |
139.20 |
96.40 |
69.3 |
|
NAFTA |
137.50 |
133.50 |
97.1 |
|
South America |
45.80 |
38.97 |
85.2 |
|
Africa |
14.70 |
11.39 |
77.6 |
|
Middle East |
20.30 |
10.30 |
50.7 |
|
China |
142.00 |
125.79 |
88.6 |
|
India |
29.50 |
26.92 |
91.3 |
|
Japan |
146.90 |
106.44 |
72.5 |
|
South Korea |
48.70 |
43.12 |
88.5 |
|
Asia |
415.10 |
319.10 |
76.9 |
|
Oceania |
9.28 |
8.80 |
94.6 |
|
World |
1,061.90 |
842.0 |
79.3 |
International Steel Export Prices ($/tonne)
|
Date |
Slabs Nothern Europe |
Slabs Latin America |
Billets Nothern Europe |
Billets Latin America |
StainlessSteel
304 CR |
|
April 3 |
245 |
218 |
195 |
195 |
1,900 |
|
May 1 |
245 |
218 |
195 |
195 |
1,900 |
|
June 5 |
245 |
231 |
195 |
195 |
1,850 |
|
July 3 |
245 |
231 |
175 |
195 |
1,800 |
|
August 7 |
245 |
223 |
175 |
195 |
1,625 |
|
Sept. 4 |
245 |
223 |
175 |
195 |
1,525 |
|
Oct. 5 |
198 |
205 |
175 |
180 |
1,525 |
|
Nov. 6 |
198 |
200 |
175 |
180 |
1,525 |
|
Dec. 11 |
200 |
190 |
175 |
180 |
1,240 |
|
Jan. 5 |
200 |
183 |
175 |
170 |
1,240 |
|
Feb. 5 |
200 |
168 |
175 |
170 |
1,300 |
|
March 8 |
200 |
163 |
175 |
170 |
1,350 |
|
April 9 |
200 |
168 |
175 |
170 |
1,280 |
Source MB
Major Steel Producing Companies in 2000
| |
2000 |
1999 |
% Change |
|
Nippon Steel |
29.1 |
24.3 |
+ 19.8 |
|
Posco |
28.5 |
26.5 |
+ 7.6 |
|
Arbed |
24.1 |
22.2 |
+ 8.6 |
|
LNM |
22.4 |
20.0 |
+ 12.0 |
|
Usinor |
21.0 |
22.2 |
– 5.4 |
|
NKK* |
20.6 |
11.6 |
+ 77.2 |
|
Corus |
20.0 |
21.3 |
– 6.1 |
|
Thyssen Krupp |
18.0 |
16.5 |
+ 9.1 |
|
Shanghai Baosteel |
17.7 |
16.7 |
+ 6.0 |
|
Riva |
15.6 |
14.1 |
+ 10.6 |
|
Kawasaki |
13.0 |
10.2 |
+ 27.5 |
|
Sumitomo |
11.7 |
9.2 |
+ 27.2 |
|
US Steel |
10.7 |
10.9 |
– 1.8 |
|
SAIL |
10.6 |
9.8 |
+ 8.2 |
|
China Steel |
10.3 |
9.5 |
+ 8.4 |
|
Nucor |
10.2 |
9.4 |
+8.5 |
|
Magnitogorsk |
10.0 |
8.9 |
+ 12.4 |
|
Severstal |
9.6 |
9.0 |
+ 6.7 |
|
Bethlehem |
9.1 |
8.5 |
+ 7.1 |
|
Anshan |
8.8 |
8.5 |
+ 3.5 |
|
Novolipetsk |
8.2 |
7.5 |
+ 9.3 |
|
Shougang |
8.0 |
7.3 |
+ 9.6 |
|
LTV |
7.4 |
7.6 |
– 2.6 |
|
Gerdau |
7.1 |
5.1 |
+ 39.2 |
|
Wuhan |
6.7 |
6.2 |
+ 8.1 |
|
Nisco |
6.6 |
6.1 |
+ 8.2 |
|
Kobe |
6.4 |
5.7 |
+ 12.3 |
|
BHP |
6.2 |
8.1 |
– 23.5 |
|
Krivorozhstal |
6.1 |
5.3 |
+ 15.1 |
|
Inchon |
6.0 |
3.8 |
+ 57.9 |
|
AK Steel |
5.9 |
5.6 |
+ 5.4 |
|
National Steel |
5.6 |
5.7 |
– 1.7 |
|
Mariupol |
5.5 |
4.8 |
+ 14.6 |
|
ISCOR |
5.4 |
5.3 |
+ 1.9 |
|
Zapsib |
5.3 |
4.7 |
+ 12.8 |
|
Voest Alpine |
5.2 |
4.7 |
+ 10.6 |
|
Salzgitter |
5.1 |
4.9 |
+ 4.1 |
|
Stelco |
5.1 |
4.7 |
+ 8.5 |
|
Nizhny Tagil |
4.9 |
4.0 |
+ 22.5 |
|
CST |
4.9 |
4.4 |
+ 11.4 |
|
Lucchini |
4.8 |
3.7 |
+ 29.7 |
|
CSN |
4.8 |
4.9 |
– 2.0 |
|
Usiminas |
4.4 |
3.0 |
+ 46.7 |
|
Huta Katowice |
4.4 |
3.7 |
+ 18.9 |
|
Rautaruukki |
4.3 |
4.2 |
+ 2.4 |
|
Azovstal |
4.3 |
3.6 |
+ 19.4 |
|
HKM |
4.3 |
4.5 |
– 4.4 |
|
Benxi |
4.2 |
3.9 |
+ 7.7 |
|
Dofasco |
4.1 |
3.5 |
+ 17.1 |
|
Tokyo Steel |
3.9 |
3.6 |
+ 8.3 |
|
Baotou |
3.9 |
3.9 |
N.C. |
|
Zaporozhstal |
3.9 |
3.3 |
+ 18.2 |
|
Techint Group |
3.8 |
3.9 |
– 2.6 |
|
Maanshan |
3.7 |
3.6 |
+ 2.8 |
|
Nisshin |
3.7 |
3.4 |
+ 8.8 |
|
Mechel |
3.7 |
2.9 |
+ 27.6 |
|
Tata |
3.7 |
3.3 |
+ 12.1 |
|
Panzhihua |
3.6 |
3.6 |
N.C. |
|
Kuznetsk |
3.6 |
2.8 |
+ 28.6 |
|
VSZ (USS Kosice) |
3.5 |
3.4 |
+ 2.9 |
|
SSAB |
3.4 |
3.4 |
N.C. |
|
Sidex |
3.4 |
3.2 |
+ 6.3 |
|
Ahmsa |
3.4 |
3.4 |
N.C. |
|
Tangshan |
3.2 |
3.2 |
N.C. |
|
Handan |
3.2 |
3.0 |
+ 6.7 |
|
Nosta |
3.1 |
2.7 |
+ 14.8 |
|
Jinan Steel |
3.0 |
3.0 |
N.C. |
|
Celsa |
3.0 |
2.8 |
+ 7.1 |
|
Date |
Rebar |
Wire Rod |
Merchant bar |
HRC |
Heavy Plate |
CRC |
|
April 3 |
240 |
250 |
330 |
330 |
365 |
430 |
|
May 1 |
235 |
245 |
330 |
330 |
365 |
440 |
|
June 5 |
225 |
245 |
330 |
290 |
350 |
420 |
|
July 3 |
228 |
245 |
310 |
270 |
350 |
410 |
|
August 7 |
228 |
245 |
310 |
270 |
350 |
395 |
|
Sept. 4 |
228 |
230 |
270 |
250 |
345 |
395 |
|
Oct. 9 |
228 |
230 |
275 |
250 |
345 |
380 |
|
Nov. 6 |
225 |
230 |
275 |
230 |
330 |
350 |
|
Dec. 11 |
220 |
230 |
275 |
230 |
330 |
340 |
|
Jan. 8 |
225 |
240 |
265 |
230 |
330 |
320 |
|
Feb. 5 |
225 |
235 |
260 |
220 |
330 |
320 |
|
March 8 |
250 |
235 |
– – – |
230 |
– – – |
320 |
|
April 9 |
255 |
235 |
– – – |
230 |
– – – |
320 |
Source MB
