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U.S. Steel to Indefinitely Idle Granite City Works

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U.S. Steel will indefinitely idle operations at its Granite City Works facility in Illinois. The decision will affect approximately 1,000 workers at the facility.

More than half of the workers will be laid off beginning Jan. 28, which was announced to employees in an email. Approximately 400 employees were already laid off due to the previous decision to idle the B blast furnace in September.

The move was made based on the company’s ability to meet customer demand by leveraging other active iron and steelmaking facilities, U.S. Steel claimed.

The United Steelworkers  condemned the decision. “U.S. Steel’s decision to idle steelmaking at Granite City Works once again demonstrates its callous disregard for its dedicated workforce, who for generations have served as the backbone of the company’s success,” said USW International President David McCall.

McCall noted that this trend also includes U.S. Steel’s choice to begin laying off hundreds of workers at UPI in Pittsburg, Calif., this year.

“As we look to the future of the U.S. steel industry,” said District 7 Director Millsap, “the USW intends to draw on every resource we have available to ensure our members – in Granite City and across the country – are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”