Pennsylvania governor says cannot support Nippon-US Steel merger

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) – Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on Tuesday that he cannot support Nippon Steel’s bid to buy U.S. Steel in its current form because the United Steelworkers union is unhappy with the merger.

Shapiro, who is a contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ Democratic Party running mate in the November U.S. presidential election, said he was viewing the proposed merger through its impact on workers.

“Speaking from a state perspective as governor, if the U.S. steel workers aren’t happy with this deal, which they are not, I’m not happy with this deal,” Shapiro said at an Internal Revenue Service event attended by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

“If I don’t see a future where U.S. Steel manufacturing continues here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and is expanding from what is happening right now, I’m not happy, so I’ve got really serious concerns,” he said.