North Coast Labor Federation Tracks USW Contracts and Steel Policy

The America’s Work Force Union Podcast checked in with Pat Gallagher, president of the North Coast Area Labor Federation and a retired United Steelworkers leader, for a wide-ranging update on contract fights, industry bargaining strategy and federal steel policy. Gallagher reported that more than 1,000 workers at Libbey Glass in Toledo ratified new agreements after a prolonged strike, closing a difficult chapter shaped by ownership changes and renewed concession demands.

He also outlined how United Steelworkers' bargaining in the oil sector produced a tentative agreement with Marathon, now headed to members for ratification. The conversation also examined the Congressional Steel Caucus, global steel overcapacity and the labor movement’s election-year endorsements in Ohio.

• United Steelworkers locals at Libbey Glass ratified new contracts after a months-long strike, restoring stability for more than 1,000 Toledo-area workers.
• USW pattern bargaining in the oil sector produced a tentative agreement with Marathon designed to set the standard across the industry.
• Congressional Steel Caucus activity highlights global overcapacity concerns and the need for trade enforcement to protect domestic steelmaking.

A months-long strike at Libbey Glass in Toledo, Ohio, has ended with a new contract, but labor leaders say the fight underscored a broader reality across industrial America: when ownership changes hands, workers are often asked to pay the price again.

On the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Pat Gallagher, president of the North Coast Labor Federation and a retired United Steelworkers (USW) member, provided an update on several major developments affecting union members across Ohio and beyond. His discussion covered the ratification of new agreements at Libbey Glass in Toledo, a tentative pattern-bargaining deal in the oil sector with Marathon and renewed attention in Washington, D.C. to steel trade enforcement and global overcapacity.

United Steelworkers at Libbey Glass Toledo Ratify New Contract

Gallagher said workers at Libbey Glass in Toledo overwhelmingly approved new agreements covering more than 1,000 union members.

The facility's bargaining structure includes multiple units: three United Steelworkers Locals and one Machinists Local, each with separate contracts and ratification votes. Gallagher said the largest unit, USW Local 700T, ratified its agreement most recently, helping finalize the overall settlement.

The contract vote followed a strike that lasted more than five months, a work stoppage that became a defining test of solidarity and endurance for workers and their families.

United Steelworkers Locals 65T, 59M, 700T and IAM Local 1297

The Toledo facility’s bargaining landscape reflects the complexity of large industrial workplaces, where multiple crafts and classifications often negotiate distinct agreements.

Gallagher identified USW Locals 65T, 59M and 700T as the Steelworker units involved, alongside a Machinists Local 1297. While each Local ratifies separately, the outcome at the largest unit can be decisive in resolving the overall labor dispute.

For labor observers, the Libbey settlement is a reminder that multi-unit sites require coordinated strategy, consistent communication and a shared understanding of what is at stake across the workforce.

Libbey Glass Bankruptcy History and Conditional Concessions

Gallagher said the Libbey dispute cannot be separated from the company’s earlier bankruptcy era.

Gallagher described prior negotiations in which workers accepted concessions tied to profitability, with the understanding that if the company recovered financially, those concessions would be restored. Gallagher said that approach proved effective at the time: as profitability improved, the concessions were returned before the agreement ended.

That history shaped worker expectations in the latest round. Gallagher said the renewed push for concessions and a broad rewrite of the agreement created a sense that workers were being asked to give back gains, despite having helped stabilize the company previously.

Hedge Fund Ownership and Contract Rewrite Pressure

Gallagher attributed the latest bargaining conflict in part to ownership dynamics, describing a difficult negotiation environment after a hedge fund takeover.

In his view, the dispute reflected a familiar pattern in which financial owners prioritize short-term returns, often by targeting labor costs and structural changes.

Despite the contentious process, Gallagher said the newly ratified contract represents a fair agreement that allows the parties to move forward, with the hope that profitability and stability can return without repeated demands for givebacks.

Bargaining in the Oil Industry and the Marathon Agreement

Gallagher also outlined how the United Steelworkers approach bargaining in the oil sector, where pattern bargaining sets standards across multiple employers.

He described a process that begins with member-driven policy development through a national bargaining meeting, where priorities and guidelines are established. The union then selects a target company for negotiations. In this cycle, Gallagher said Marathon was chosen.

The union reached a tentative agreement with Marathon, which will now be sent to members for ratification. Gallagher characterized the deal as fair and aligned with the bargaining proposals adopted by members.

National Oil Bargaining Policy Meeting Sets USW Priorities

Gallagher said the oil-sector process includes a National Oil Bargaining Policy meeting, held this year in Pittsburgh, where members and leaders develop the framework for negotiations.

That framework guides the union’s approach with the target company and helps ensure that the final settlement reflects member priorities before it becomes the standard the union seeks across the industry.

Congressional Steel Caucus, Global Overcapacity and Trade Enforcement

Turning to federal policy, Gallagher discussed the Congressional Steel Caucus and ongoing concerns about trade practices that undercut domestic steelmaking.

He said the caucus includes lawmakers from steel-producing states and plays a role in elevating industry and worker concerns in Washington. He also referenced testimony delivered to the U.S. Congress by USW District 7 leadership earlier this year.

Gallagher identified global steel overcapacity as a central challenge, citing an estimate of more than 700 million metric tons of excess capacity worldwide. In that environment, he argued, import surges and price suppression can destabilize U.S. producers.

He also highlighted the U.S. supply-demand gap: domestic production is significant, but national consumption exceeds output, meaning the country relies on imports even when facilities operate at full capacity. Gallagher said the policy goal should be preventing market flooding that devalues steel and puts domestic capacity at risk.

Ohio AFL-CIO Endorsements Signal Midterm Labor Strategy

Gallagher closed with an election-year update, noting that the Ohio AFL-CIO executive board issued endorsements for major races.

He cited endorsements for statewide offices and highlighted local candidates connected to the labor movement, including leaders with union governance experience and public education backgrounds.

For labor, the endorsements reflect a broader strategy: elect candidates who will defend collective bargaining, protect public services and support policies that sustain union jobs in manufacturing, energy and the public sector.

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