John Fetterman says he's following the union in his opposition to the proposed $15 billion buyout of US Steel, but a local mayor says the U.S. Senator hasn’t asked members.
Fetterman says news of the planned buyout of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel was handled badly from the start, skeptical that the Japanese company would spend billions to upgrade the Mon Valley Works.
He says union leadership has opposed the plan, fearing a loss of jobs and tells supporters, that he questions what would happen locally.
“I don’t want hear them grandstanding, that we’re trying to stop anything,” said Fetterman.
West Mifflin Mayor Chris Kelly responded to Fetterman’s interview with KDKA Radio’s Marty Griffin. “I mean, I wanted to reach (through the phone) and shake him.”
Kelly says there are plenty of rank and file supporters for the deal, faulting Fetterman for not even asking them.
“But he wouldn’t walk across the street to see the guys coming out,” said Kelly. “Now, this has been a year, and he wouldn’t walk across there and say ‘are you for this?’.”
Fetterman and his family live right near the Edgar Thomson works.
Kelly says for the most part, concerns he's heard about the deal revolve around pensions and similar questions.
But, he says about 95 percent of the union members he's spoken to favor the buyout.