This week, Hot Band and Plate prices have increased. Hopefully, these increases will stabilize the market and encourage customers to place orders. Again, this does not mean that we are out of the woods. In some areas of the mill employees are being recalled while other areas such as the Sinter Plant, CHTL and those who have been displaced into the plant wide labor pool are suffering reductions in workforce. As the automotive industry continues to ramp up, there have been COVID-19 cases which caused the assembly plant in Chicago to shut down for several hours, just one day after opening. As the uncertainty and constant changes of the world economy continues, we have been subjected to a roller coaster of changes within our plant. We expect this to continue until normalcy enters back into the world as we all recover from the influence of this pandemic. Detailed information continues to change as we work through the complications of the constant fluctuations of where and how the Company runs orders. We have been communicating with Plate Mill management regarding the potential reduction in force for the upcoming Plate Mill Outage. We should have more information to share next week.
After recalling everyone who was laid off in Steel Producing, we have convinced the Company of the ongoing need for training which should ultimately result in less people being laid off. As we all can agree, one person laid off is too many. In order to facilitate departmental bids, the Company has agreed to post Utility bids for that area. They agreed that everyone, including Employees who are currently laid off, should be given the opportunity to bid on these vacancies. Anyone interested must sign the bid in person at the East Office between 6:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays) on or before June 1st at 1 p.m. Please keep in mind, hourly transfers can be heard by calling (219) 787-2525.
We are saddened to confirm that an Employee suffered fatal injuries operating a crane at Weirton yesterday. Please keep his family and coworkers in your prayers.
As you make plans to celebrate the Memorial Day holiday, please do so safely as we are entering stage 3 of the state’s plan to re-open as mentioned in Update #6. Gatherings of 100 or less are now allowed, but if social distancing is not an option, face coverings are still recommended until mid-June. At that time facial coverings will become optional. Please stay safe and thank you for your solidarity.
In Solidarity,
Pete Trinidad Sr.
USW 6787 President