bleskovky.zoznam.sk : U. S. Steel Kosice employees expressed support for union members at Wednesday's protest , January 21, 2026
standard.sk : Unions at U. S. Steel push for higher wages and shorter working hours , January 21, 2026
teraz.sk : U. S. Steel Kosice employees expressed support for union members at Wednesday's protest , January 21, 2026
kosiceonline.sk : Employees and union members of the Kosice-based steel mills protested in Saca , January 21, 2026
e.dennikn.sk : U. S. Steel Kosice employees expressed support for union members at Wednesday's protest , January 21, 2026
korzar.sme.sk : Hundreds of U. S. Steel employees marched the streets to support negotiators, contract dispute continues , January 21, 2026
tv.pravda.sk: Speech by the head of the KOVO union at the protest rally of U. S. Steel employees , January 21, 2026
aktuality.sk : Hundreds of U. S. Steel Kosice employees supported union leaders in collective bargaining negotiations , January 21, 2026
Hundreds of employees of the U. S. Steel Kosice steelworks expressed their support for the trade unionists in the negotiations on
a new collective agreement at a protest rally in Saca, Kosice, on Wednesday. The KOVO U. S. Steel Kosice trade union declared
a strike alert in the steelworks on January 12. The reason is that even after eight rounds of collective bargaining on the form of a new company collective agreement, a common agreement could not be found.
“Today’s meeting, called by the U. S. Steel trade unionists, is in support of the collective negotiators, because on December 16 we declared a disagreement in collective bargaining.
We cannot agree on three fundamental things, and that is the protection of employees from dismissal, weekly working hours and, of course, wages,” said Juraj Varga, chairman of the Trade Union Council Committee of the KOVO U. S. Steel Kosice Trade Union.
According to him, the weekly working time at U. S. Steel Kosice is predominantly 35.5 hours, and 85 percent of the 7,700 permanent employees work this way. "In the draft collective agreement, the employer wants to increase this working time across the board for all employees to 37.5 hours," said Varga, adding that two hours a week is not permissible for them. According to him, during the five years of validity of the collective agreement, it had a flexible clause for a selected group of employees, that if necessary, the employer worked more during a certain period.
"When more was needed, it was approved by trade unionists. This is how it has been used for five years and we are basically asking the employer in collective bargaining to keep it in this form, this flexibility and we think that with the existing processes in the factory it is now sufficient," Varga explained.
According to Varga, the employer offers them an average of 50 euros per employee in the collective wage. "We asked for more, but after eight rounds of meetings, we gave in and are currently asking for 80 euros, which means that there is always room for negotiation at the table. This meeting is basically an expression of public solidarity of trade unionists working at U. S. Steel Kosice, where we want to make it clear to everyone in general that we can stand up for ourselves and stand behind what we have a mandate for," Varga stated.
"We basically said goodbye at the table on December 16th with the social partner that we are ready to negotiate. Of course, we have to find a way to compromise so that both parties are satisfied," Varga added.
They are waiting for a mediator
As part of the declaration of the dispute, union representatives requested the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family to assign a mediator on January 9. This process should be completed within 30 days of receiving the request.
The previous collective agreement in the metallurgical enterprise was valid until December 31, 2025. Collective bargaining for a new one, which lasted eight rounds, resulted in the declaration of the dispute. The first round of negotiations took place on October 14 and the last one so far on December 16.
The Kosice-based steelworks currently employs 7,700 regular employees. Last year, in mid-June, after an 18-month process, the acquisition was completed, by which the Japanese steel company Nippon took over the American metallurgical concern U. S. Steel, including its Slovak plant.
"I believe that we will finally reach an agreement. Now it will be in the hands of the mediator, to whom we will explain our positions. We want to reach an agreement, we want to maintain benefits for employees, taking into account the situation on the steel market," U. S. Steel Kosice spokesman Jan Baca said in an interview with TASR agency.

TV Markiza: Employees of the Kosice-based steel mill protested , January 21, 2026 
TA3: Employees of the Kosice-based steel mill protested , January 21, 2026
Radio Regina: Hundreds of employees of our largest steel factory expressed support for collective bargaining representatives today at the square in Kosice, Saca , January 21, 2026
Radio Slovensko: Higher salaries and protest, January 21, 2026
spravy.stvr.sk : Hundreds of angry employees of the Kosice-based steelworks took to the streets. They cannot agree on working hours and salaries with the company , January 21, 2026
STVR: Employees of the Kosice-based steel mill protested , January 21, 2026
Jozef Kubanek, anchorman:
Employees of the Kosice-based steelworks protested. Even after weeks of negotiations, the company and the trade unions still have not concluded a new collective agreement. They are arguing about working hours and the salaries. The protest did not paralyze production.
Anton Gbur, editor:
Time and money. The values ​​on which the agreement on the new four-year collective agreement in the Kosice-based steelworks is based. Hundreds of angry employees therefore marched the streets.
While the trade unions are demanding higher salaries than the offered 0 euros per month offered by the management, the company is pushing for an increase in working hours. Employees would work two hours more per week.
Juraj Varga, Chairman of the Trade Union Council OZ KOVO, U. S. Steel Kosice:
We want to achieve the goal we set ourselves, which is to maintain the benefits that were paid in the collective agreement, to the greatest extent possible. So that the wage increase is without an increase in weekly working hours.
Anton Gbur, editor:
The American company with the new Japanese owner respects the protest, but does not comment on the details of the collective bargaining.
Jan Baca, spokesman for U. S. Steel Kosice:
We want to reach an agreement and we want to maintain benefits for employees, of course taking into account the situation on the steel market.
Anton Gbur, editor:
The dispute could be settled by a mediator from the Ministry of Labor.
Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic, written statement:
The mediator does not decide the dispute, but proposes a solution to the dispute to the parties, which they may or may not accept.
Anton Gbur, editor:
The scenario of collective bargaining was similar in the past. Long negotiations and disagreements were eventually replaced by an agreement with concessions on both sides. Anton Gbur, Slovak Television.

teraz.sk : U. S. Steel Kosice recalled the implemented projects regarding smog , January 21, 2026
regiony.zoznam.sk : U. S. Steel Kosice reduced dust emissions by 97%, recalls environmental investments during smog , January 21, 2026
In connection with the current warning of a serious smog situation, the U. S. Steel Kosice company reported to TASR agency that it has invested more than 714 million US dollars (608.23 million euros) in dozens of environmental projects since 2000. Thanks to this investments, according to the steelworks' spokesman Jan Baca, the specific amount of solid pollutant emissions has decreased by 97 percent compared to 2001. "Overall, we have reduced the average annual air pollution load of solid pollutants in the vicinity of the steel plant by 16,166 tons of dust since 2001," he said. According to him, the situation in the village of Velka Ida is mainly caused by unfavorable dispersion conditions in the winter, uncontrolled heating with solid fuels of various qualities and the use of fuels in households that are not intended for heating. "The activities of U. S. Steel Kosice are fully in accordance with applicable Slovak and European legislation," he added.
In Kosice and Velka Ida in the Kosice-okolie district, a warning of a serious smog situation for PM10 particles is in effect. It was issued by the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU), according to which the cause of the deterioration of air quality is an unfavorable dispersion situation and increased emissions from heating in combination with emissions from industrial sources and transport. SHMU also warns of a smog situation for PM10 particles in Jelsava, Ruzomberok, Lucenec, Plastovce and in the districts of Ruzomberok, Lucenec and Presov. Meteorologists expect an improvement in the situation by the end of the week.
The Public Health Authority warns that a serious smog situation can significantly worsen the health of children, seniors and people with chronic diseases in the winter. Hygienists recommend limiting outdoor activities, especially physical exertion, and shortening indoor ventilation.