Steel producer and the largest employer in eastern Slovakia U.S. Steel Košice has failed to reach a deal on a new collective agreement for the next four years with trade unionists. The latest contract dated from 2016 is no longer in effect as of Wednesday. "Despite 25 rounds of negotiations with our trade unions, no deal has been clinched," said the company's spokesperson Ján Bača. He added that the unions plan to reach out to the Labour, Social Affairs and Family Ministry and "ask for an intermediary to be assigned to the case with an eye towards resolving the differences." He added that the firm finds the union's decision disappointing, but will extend full co-operation to the Government intermediary.
"However, we will continue to comply with our commitments from the 2016 collective agreement regarding remuneration. The factory will remain in operation and we expect all employees to continue working as usual," added Bača.
