Stuart, Bristow, Crowe tour U.S. Steel facilities at Granite City Works

By CARL GREEN
Illinois Correspondent

Granite City, IL – Affirming her support for American steel and jobs, state Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) recently toured U.S. Steel’s Granite City Works facilities. Stuart was accompanied by state Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Godfrey) and state Sen. Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon).

“Granite City Works is a huge part of the community in Granite City, so getting the opportunity to tour the facility gave me a deeper understanding of the important work that is done there,” Stuart said. “The daily operations at the mill are impressive, and their employees are able to quickly advance and grow within the organization.”

U.S. Steel laid off hundreds of workers when it idled the furnaces at the plant in late 2015, but rising demand and changing economic conditions allowed it to restart both furnaces and call back and hire hundreds of workers last year.

“The employee members of USW faced a long, difficult time of uncertainty as to the future of the plant,” Stuart said. “I was delighted to learn of the number of members who were called back to work when the blast furnaces were fired up again, and I am glad that the union was able to work with management and negotiate a fair contract that provides good wages and benefits and allows for career development and growth. Protecting unions and the power of collective bargaining will continue to be a top priority as I serve in the Illinois House.”

Granite City Works currently employs more than 1,500 people producing high quality, coated sheet steel products to customers in the construction, piping and tubing, and automotive industries, and has the capability to produce 2.8 million tons of steel each year.