In the past few weeks, we have been conducting shop meetings in Coke, Iron Producing, Steel Making and the Hot Mill to address questions and concerns regarding current issues. We will continue to hold meetings in the upcoming weeks with Finishing, Plate Mill and MEU.

Lack of orders are still a hindrance. As a result of this continuing deterioration in the market, the Company was required to issue the WARN Act (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) to all of their US facilities and we may experience minimal layoffs in the upcoming weeks. At this point, pinpointing who may be affected will depend on how quickly customer orders pick up from this COVID-19 induced economic downturn. If you have questions regarding how to file an unemployment claim, please reach out to us. We are here to help.

The Union and Company have been working tirelessly to assess damages which occurred during the recent incident in Iron Producing. We have a plan in place to bring the Furnace back online next week. I would like to thank everyone involved for their ideas and ‘outside-of-the-box’ thinking to get Burns Harbor back on our feet. As our plan comes together, this does not mean we are out of the woods. We will need to continue to work together diligently and safely to ensure the longevity of our plant.

Unfortunately, this pandemic has caused an extraordinary amount of call offs. We need to ensure during times of ambiguity that we do not lose focus. As essential workers, maintaining an industrial work schedule is a priority. Our Country is depending on us. 

In Solidarity, 
Pete Trinidad Sr. 
USW 6787 President