Nippon Steel Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori met with US Steel employees and community leaders this week to better understand the proposed acquisition of the US company. He saw positive reactions, according to a company spokesperson.
Mori, the chief negotiator for the US Steel deal, returned to the United States this week, shortly after a May 20-26 trip, in an effort to seal the deal amid growing regulatory scrutiny, political opposition and objections from the powerful United States. Steelworkers Union (USW) over fears of job losses.
Mori held talks with employees at US Steel plants in Gary, Indiana and Mon Valley, Pennsylvania, outlining the Japanese steelmaker’s plans, including commitments for jobs and investments in blast furnaces, the spokesman said in an email late Friday .
“We are pleased with the positive and supportive response to Mori’s visits, and we remain focused on communicating our vision directly to the people who will benefit most from this transaction,” the company said.
The world’s No. 4 steelmaker wants to build public opinion to support the deal, hoping it will push the union to come to the table, Mori said in a recent interview.
The two steelmakers said last month they had received all regulatory approvals outside the United States for their proposed $14.9 billion merger, a step toward completing the controversial deal.
