March 13, 2006 — Members of Local Unions 9777 and 6787 represented by the United Steelworkers and Teamsters Local Union 714 ended their strike at three Chicago area facilities of Joseph T. Ryerson and Son, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ryerson Inc.

The approximately 540 employees unconditionally agreed to return to work effective Monday, March 13, 2006, ending the strike that began on Monday, March 6, 2006. Representatives of the company and of the joint union have scheduled bargaining sessions through April.

"Our contingency plan allowed us to continue to serve our customers throughout the short strike by utilizing plant supervisors, other management personnel, temporary replacement workers and employees who crossed the picket line," stated Gary J. Niederpruem, Executive Vice President of the company. "Each day more employees chose to cross the picket line."

The collective bargaining contract for Ryerson's Chicago-area facilities expired January 31, 2006 and the joint union refused the company's offer to extend the contract. The union membership provided the joint union with authority to strike on February 12, 2006.

Ryerson is a leading North American metals service center, with 2005 sales of $5.8 billion. Ryerson distributes and processes metals, primarily stainless steel, carbon steel and aluminum, through a network of more than 110 distribution facilities across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and India.