ArcelorMittal Weirton will lay off 100 employees

The production slowdown at ArcelorMittal's Weyrton mill will mean about 100 workers will be laid off in phases starting this week. ArcelorMittal said: “To maintain its position as a competitive and sustainable tin sheet manufacturer, ArcelorMittal Weirton will lay off about 100 employees indefinitely.

This will be done in phases starting this week. The workforce reduction will be carried out throughout the operation with reduced displacements in most production units. It was a very difficult decision, but ArcelorMittal Weirton's employment needs to be aligned with challenging market conditions, including reduced demand for cans and pressure from foreign imports. ”

United Steel Workers' Union President Mark Glyptis said: “I've seen the business shrink in the last six weeks or so, and it has dropped pretty quickly. Our cans are mainly used for packaging food, corn, peas, tomatoes, and this is our main business. We do not have a big business in drinks, so when they have a bad harvest, the harvest is not good, it affects the production of tin. There have been a lot of floods, some droughts in the Midwest, and most of our business comes from this area. "