April 30 2021 | Press Release
PITTSBURGH, April 30, 2021 – U.S. Steel’s decision to cancel a nearly $1.5 billion rolling mill and co-generation plant at its Mon Valley works is the abandonment by local elected officials of a workforce and company that are a significant part of the history and legacy of our region.
“The lack of support, and frankly open hostility from some elected officials means the loss of four-million construction man hours, approximately 1,000 full time union construction jobs and threatens in the longer term 3,000 steel workers,” said Tom Melcher, Business Manager for the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council. “It’s absolutely unacceptable that any politician or business or community leader who claims to be supportive of union jobs and a strong middle class can allow this project to be lost.”
Melcher added that the working families in Allegheny County and the region were today abandoned by the very people they have helped to elect.
“Not only did these ‘friends of labor’ kill jobs today, but they also killed a project that would have provided significant environmental benefits to the Mon Valley,” Melcher said.
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The Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council represents some 45,000 union tradespeople in southwestern Pennsylvania.
