(The Center Square) – U.S. Steel will officially remain a Pittsburgh icon after the president said Friday he approves of its $14.9 billion merger with a Japanese competitor.

United Steelworkers President David McCall urged President Donald Trump to block Nippon Steel Corp.’s bid to purchase United States Steel Corp., reiterating his opposition to the controversial proposed merger.

Senator Grant Hauschild announced that the extension of unemployment benefits has been included in the final Jobs and Labor budget agreement. That means 630 men and women laid off between HibTac and Minorca will be eligible for another 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.

Take a seat in the Break Room, our weekly round-up of labor news in Minnesota and beyond. This week: laid off miners likely to receive a year of unemployment; lawmakers still deadlocked over noncompete agreements;

On May 30, 1937, a peaceful labor protest on Chicago's East Side turned violent when police opened fire on the unarmed protestors, their families, and other supporters.