March 7, 2006 — Union workers initiated a strike March 6 at three Chicago-area facilities of Joseph T. Ryerson and Son, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ryerson Inc.

The collective bargaining contract for Ryerson's Chicago-area facilities expired January 31, 2006. The union membership — including members of Local Unions 9777 and 6787 represented by the United Steelworkers and Teamsters Local Union 714 — provided the joint union with authority to strike on February 12, 2006. The joint union represents approximately 540 employees at Ryerson’s Chicago, Ill., and Burns Harbor, Ind., facilities.

Representatives of the company and of the joint union have met a dozen times in January and February 2006. The joint union leadership seeks adoption of restrictive work rules, rather than continuing the job assignment flexibility that was negotiated in the last contract, according to Andrew Bruns, the company's Director of Labor Relations. "We have not gotten into economic issues yet," he stated.

"We are prepared to service our customers," stated Gary J. Niederpruem, Executive Vice President of the company. "Our plant supervisors and other management personnel, most of whom were promoted from bargaining unit jobs, have been assigned to operate the Chicago-area facilities."

During the strike, the company will continue to operate its Chicago, Ill., and Burns Harbor, Ind., facilities, which together account for approximately 10% of the company's sales.

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.