UAW Members Battle to Preserve Future of PA Steel Town, Butler

TL/DR -

Workers at the Cleveland Cliffs Butler Works steel mill in Butler, PA are opposing a proposed Department of Energy rule which they believe threatens jobs at the mill. The regulation would lower demand for grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES), used for electric vehicles and EV chargers, potentially affecting the jobs of 1,100 workers at the mill. In response, a bipartisan bill was introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown in January to freeze the implementation of the DOE's proposed rule.

Cleveland Cliffs Butler Works Steel Mill Workers Voice Concerns Over Department of Energy Rule

Employees at Cleveland Cliffs Butler Works steel mill in Butler, PA are raising concerns about a Department of Energy proposal that may jeopardize union jobs at the mill. The controversy revolves around the production of grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES), a crucial component for electric vehicles and EV chargers.

In a recently released video titled "Saving Butler", UAW Local 3303 members discuss the fight to preserve jobs for the 1,100 workers at the plant. UAW Local 3303 President, Jamie Sychak, emphasizes the plant's generational value, stating, "My grandfather worked at the plant, as did my father, and many, many families throughout our community."

Steven Gilliland echoes this sentiment, asserting that the plant is the "heart and soul of this community," being one of the area's largest and best-paying employers.

The proposed Department of Energy regulation threatens to reduce demand for GOES, potentially resulting in job losses at the Butler Works steel mill.

In response, Senator Sherrod Brown introduced a bipartisan bill in January aimed at halting the implementation of the proposed rule. Acknowledging the importance of a strong domestic supply of transformers for energy independence, Brown expresses the need for increased transformer production while ensuring the Department of Energy makes the right decisions.

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