Illinois Steelworkers to Protest at Chicago Federal Plaza

Governor Quinn speaking in appeal to ArcelorMittal: ‘Run it or Sell it’

CHICAGO, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Three busloads of laid off steelworkers from the shutdown ArcelorMittal steel mill in Hennepin, IL will be joined by leaders of the United Steelworkers (USW) and Governor Patrick Quinn at Chicago’s Federal Building Plaza Thursday, Apr. 30 at 1:30 pm (CT) with a message: ‘Run it or sell it.’

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080131/DC12982LOGO)

Despite a $48 million profit last year, the Hennepin steel mill has been idle since December 2008, laying off 300 steelworkers in a county now with the state’s highest jobless rate at 14.1 percent.

Jim Robinson, USW Director, District 7 says Illinois taxpayers gave $10 million in tax breaks to ArcelorMittal in 2005 to get the company to locate offices in Chicago. “Now they are closing a viable operation and are preparing to ship vital equipment to France and Brazil. Instead they should sell the mill to viable bidders who will keep good paying jobs here in America.”

The North American headquarters for ArcelorMittal is near the Federal Building Plaza at One South Dearborn. The Hennepin mill is about 100 miles west of Chicago.

“We need steel made in America to rebuild our infrastructure and manufacturing base,” declared Fred Redmond, USW international vice president, who will be speaking at the demonstration. “Let’s make steel here, not import it and create jobs elsewhere.”

WHO: Illinois Gov. Patrick Quinn; USW International Vice Pres. Fred Redmond; Jim Robinson, USW Dist.7 Director; David York, USW Local 7367 Pres.

WHAT: Hennepin Steelworkers Demonstration to ‘Run it or Sell it’

WHEN: Thursday, April 30; 1:30 pm

WHERE: Chicago Federal Building Plaza, 230 South Dearborn

Contact: David York (USW) 815-303-7367; Robin Rich (USW) 219-743-0624

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)