NORTH AMERICA HEADLINESNorth America
Steelworkers Welcome U.S. Steel's Recall of 800 at Hilton Works
Jun. 16, 2009 United Steelworkers (USW) Local 8782 expressed mixed response to U.S. Steel’s announcement this week that it would call workers back to its Hilton Works facility.
"We are pleased with U.S. Steel's announcement that they will be calling back approximately 800 workers at the
Hilton Works facility," said Bill Ferguson, President of United Steelworker (USW) Local 8782. He noted, however, that the 800 workers are only half of the facility’s 1600 unemployed workers.
"USW, and all Hamilton families, greet this announcement with very mixed emotions," added Ferguson. He expressed concerns that U. S. Steel has also announced it would restart steelmaking production at a U. S. Steel facility in Illinois while continuing to keep idle the Lake Erie Works facility in Canada.
“It is great that so many of our workers at the Hamilton location are being recalled,” commented USW Area Coordinator Tony DePaulo. “However, for the sake of the workers, I hope this action by U.S. Steel is not part of an effort to manipulate their responsibility under the Employment Standards Act concerning severance payments. If it were, it would be a very cynical action by U.S. Steel that would destroy any trust from the workers, and would warrant a government response."
"The workers have accepted this announcement in good faith, we trust that U.S. Steel made it in good faith," said DePaulo.