United Steelworkers Local 2604 and Mittal Steel USA – Lackawanna received the third Champions @ Work Award from the ILR School at a recent awards ceremony and luncheon.

The award recognizes high-road labor-management partnerships for quality jobs and quality products in Western New York and is an outgrowth of the groundbreaking study conducted by Cornell University in 2000 entitled Champions @ Work. The study found clear evidence of high-performance workplace practices, workforce quality, and constructive labor relations in the region.

USW Local 2604 and Mittal Steel USA – Lackawanna were chosen to receive the award in recognition of their shared spirit of cooperation and trust. Labor and management have worked diligently towards a high-performing partnership that enables the Lackawanna operations to remain a viable part of Mittal Steel USA and the global steel industry.

Accepting the award were Carl Pfeiffer, Operations Manager at Mittal Steel USA – Lackawanna and Anthony Fortunato, President, USW Local 2604. "It is the high-quality, high-character Western New York workforce that provides us with a competitive advantage and earns us the right and privilege of being part of Arcelor Mittal, the world’s number one steel company," said Pfeifer. Commenting on the award, Fortunato stated, "We are honored to receive this award. The award is a result of the labor of many people, not just the top union and company officials. While it is easy to criticize and disagree, it is more productive to approach challenges in ways that assure the long-term future of these jobs and the work here in Lackawanna."

"We are proud to present our Champions @ Work Award to the Steelworkers and Mittal Steel USA in Lackawanna. As with our previous award winners, the union and the company operations in Western New York link our region to the global economy and yet, benefit our local communities, economically and through their joint activities," said Reggie Grogan, the ILR School's Champion Network Coordinator and presenter of the award.

In addition to New York State Assemblyman Jack Quinn, New York State Senators Antoine Thompson and William Stachowski attended the event, along with NY Assemblyman Joe Giglio.

A highlight of the ceremony and luncheon was keynote speaker Steve Tasker, former member of the Buffalo Bills and the first and only special teams player to be nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He spoke about his experience with the Buffalo Bills and the importance of teamwork, relating his experience to today's workplace. Tasker currently does color commentary for NFL football telecasts on CBS.

The Champions Award for USW Local 2604 and Mittal Steel USA – Lackawanna is the third given by Cornell’s ILR School. Previous recipients were the United Auto Workers Local 897 and Ford Buffalo Stamping Plant located in Hamburg, NY, and the Communication Workers of America Local 14177 and New Era Cap Company of Derby, NY.