U.S. Steel to Issue WARN Notices to 1,500+ Workers at Great Lakes Steelworks

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Pittsburgh-based United States Steel Corporation announced its decision to indefinitely idle a significant portion of the Great Lakes Works production facility in Ecorse and River Rouge.

Accordingly, the company will issue WARN notices to as many as 1,545 workers at the steelworks. However, the final number of employees who will be impacted by the decision is likely to remain lower. The company will soon determine the staffing needs at those portions of the facility which will continue to remain operational, in order to provide sufficient time for the affected employees to prepare for the transition.The United Steelworkers have already been notified of the decision, the company press release said.

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The company press release stated that it plans to begin idling its River Rouge plant in April 2020. No employee will be affected before that date, it clarified. Further, the production at its Great Lakes work facility will largely shift to Gary, Ind., steelworks.

Earlier in August this year, the company had announced its decision to temporarily lay off 200 workers at the plant, following the idling of one of the furnaces on account of tough market conditions and reduced demand situation.

David B. Burritt, President and CEO, U.S. Steel stated that the decision will promote better alignment of its resources to deliver cost and capability differentiation. The actions will competitively position the company for the future and help it to advance the ‘best of both’ strategy”, he added.