More than 600 people will be laid off Christmas week at AK Steel’s Ashland Works, according to United Steelworkers Local 1865 President Scott Conley.
AK blames the furloughs on what it says are unfairly traded imports from countries like China. Conley says all the company and union can do is call on Congress to level the playing field.
AK says it will not shut down the entire Ashland plant but it will idle the blast furnace and related operations. The local mill employs about a thousand workers.
Ashland’s vice mayor says the AK layoffs will have a bigger impact on the regional economy. Kevin Gunderson says it’ll come in the form of fewer goods and services being purchased by furloughed workers and that’ll mean less revenue for the city of Ashland.
AK claims nations that subsidize their steel industries are dumping their products on the domestic market at artificially low prices and that has harmed US steelmakers.
