Clip File: USW Local Fights to Block Steel Mill Demolition

by Roger Bybee (In These Times 2009-09-24)

There's a very interested buyer for one of the nation's most productive steel mills, but owner ArcelorMittal appears to be racing to demolish the 300-worker mill before public pressure for a sale to the prospective buyer becomes too intense.

The mill, located in Hennepin, Ill., about 100 miles west of Chicago, is one of two mills that steel industry giant Arcelor Mittal has been fixated on reducing to rubble.

In a parallel situation in Lackawanna, N.Y., ArcelorMittal shut down and demolished a steel mill that had been consistently profitable, according to United Steelworkers Local 2604 President Anthony Fortunato, who watched the 260 jobs disappear as the plant was torn down.

In both cases, Arcelor Mittal-a frequent target of price-fixing charges in Europe-appears to be motivated by a desire to shrink capacity in the steel industry in order to raise prices.

But in Hennepin and the surrounding area, public support for United Steelworkers Local 7367 has been so strong that ArcelorMittal has been blocked from the speedy shutdown of the mill that it had planned. Originally, ArcelorMittal planned to begin tearing down the plant in June.

The rest of the story: USW Local Fights to Block Steel Mill Demolition by Roger Bybee (In These Times 2009-09-24)

Resource: United Steelworkers Union