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Northwest Indiana Times: Burns Harbor Mill Hit by Safety Dispute
04/24/2013 - A dispute over safety at ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor mill has slowed production there, with some union workers refusing to work under what they claim are unsafe conditions, the Northwest Indiana Times reports.
A dispute over safety at ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor mill has slowed production there, with some union workers refusing to work under what they claim are unsafe conditions, the Northwest Indiana Times reports.
The dispute started Sunday when 10 workers at a slab caster, which is fed with hot molten steel, invoked their contract rights and refused to work at the job any longer, said John Moloney, USW Local 6787 grievance committee chairman.
"It's a safety issue," Moloney said Tuesday afternoon. "We are doing our best to get it resolved so we don't have to shut the plant down."
ArcelorMittal spokeswoman Mary Beth Holdford said the company recently completed upgrades at the Burns Harbor facility's basic oxygen furnace and continuous caster. These upgrades have computerized many of the functions previously done manually by the workforce.
Holdford said in a statement the upgrades will not result in workforce reductions, and the company hopes to improve operational efficiency and workplace safety…
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