Members of Local 2911 joined thousands of others in several states standing in solidarity amid contract negotiations with ArcelorMittal.

The current contract expires on September 1 and both sides are at the bargaining table.

Union representatives say that what’s on the table now is a concessionary contract, which they feel is unacceptable.

If the current agreement were to expire it would impact more than 700 local hourly employees and  15,000 others at 13 local unions across several states, including West Virginia and Ohio.

Representatives explained that when the current contract was negotiated, the steel industry was struggling, but that’s not the case now.

If the contract expires, both the union and ArcelorMittal would have to make a decision about how to proceed, depending upon how close negotiations are.