THE I.S.U. UPDATE

Sleepless in Seattle

Two of our top union officials continued our "Stand up for Steel" campaign at the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle, Washington.
President Mark Glyptis and Sheet Mill Chairman Mark Roach who also serves as the I.S.U. "Stand up for Steel" campaign chairman made the trip to join thousands of union brothers and sisters protesting the Clinton Administration philosophy of Free Trade instead of Fair Trade.
The two I.S.U. officials also met with several congressional leaders at the four-day event.
"I am very pleased with the cooperation extended to us by the United Steelworkers of America and their Staff. The USW, the Longshoremen, Teamsters and other unions were out in force in Seattle and Mark and I were proud to be a part of the union protest," Glyptis declared.
Roach said the I.S.U. made several valuable contacts while in Seattle and promised the local "Stand up for Steel" campaign will not end until victory is achieved.

Byrd Bill

Weirton Steel management continues to promise to apply for capital through the Steel Loan Guarantee program or "Byrd Bill".
Meanwhile, three bankrupt steel companies have already extended applications for building or upgrading existing facilities.
Geneva Steel, Gulf States Steel and Laclede Steel are operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy laws.
The deadline for applying for the money is December 31, 1999.

Retirement Update

John Balzano of the I.S.U. is leading the campaign in Washington, D.C. to seek relief for Weirton Steel retirees recently hit with a major increase in their Major Medical benefits.
Balzano, the union’s benefits educator and Union President Mark Glyptis met recently with federal legislators from the tri-state area in response to the 72% increase in Major Medical expenses.
According to Balzano, several congressmen and senators have already been in contact with officials from Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
"We have had a good and quick response from Congressmen Bob Ney and Alan Mollohan as well as Senators Jay Rockefeller, Robert C. Byrd and Arlen Specter", Balzano explained.
Balzano said the I.S.U. would continue meeting with appropriate government officials as well as representatives from Blue Cross/Blue Shield in order to realize a resolution to the problem.

Congratulations Donald Craig

In the Coke Plant where he has worked for the past 50 years, Donald Craig is known affectionately as "The Old Man".
But Craig is anything but old.
Back on November 15, 1949, the 19 year old Craig started his now epic career in the Coke Plant.
"I was a laborer in the by-products pushing wheelbarrows full of tar. I was young and happy to have a job in the mill," Craig related.
Back in 1949, there were no preference bids, seniority meant little and the work was physically demanding.
Craig took the first preference bid offered in the Coke Plant in 1968.
"I took the bulldozer bid and I’m still running mobile equipment today," Craig said.
After he hit the 50 year mark last month, Craig is always asked about potential retirement plans.
"I don’t want to retire right now. I enjoy what I’m doing. Maybe next month I might feel like retiring, but I’m just sitting back and taking it a day at a time," Craig commented.
His hair and beard may now be gray, but Donald Craig is still going strong, even after 50 years.

Up on the Rooftop

Santa Claus won’t have any trouble spotting the Jack Yost residence in Wellsburg this year.
The tool and die maker at WeirTec recently had the new Weirton Steel shingles installed on his home.
The veteran I.S.U. member said he was very proud to be using a product he was personally involved with at WeirTec.
And Yost said he believes steel shingles are here to stay.

Workers Compensation
By Pete Visnic

Benefits from the state Workers’ Compensation Bureau are available for the survivors of employees who die as the result of a work-related accident.
Widows of employees who die as a result of industrial accidents are entitled to monthly benefits for life or until re-marriage.
Dependent children of these deceased employees are also eligible for benefits until age 18 or until 25 if they are full-time students at a college or university.

401K Update

The federal government requires all 401(K) programs pass a discrimination test.
At Weirton Steel, this discrimination test was applied to hourly and exempt participants.
As a result of these test, it has been determined the hourly participating group did not meet the discrimination test and this will mean several hourly participants may have a portion of their 401(K) contributions returned to them by March 1, 2000.
Those affected will be notified in January 2000 of the exact amount to be refunded.

Guilty

A Canadian contractor accused of deliberately exposing his employees to asbestos may face jail time as well as a fine.
The owner of the company Westcoast Steel, Inc., pleaded guilty to telling his employees to rip asbestos insulation from pipes and stuff the asbestos into garbage trucks.
Prosecutors say the contractor deliberately endangered his workers’ lives to increase his profit.

Don’t Forget

We still have 86 hourly and 31 salary non-exempt and professionalUnion members on lay-off status.
Donations to the Union Food Fund can be made at the Union Hall Monday through Friday.

Hats

If you have not yet picked up your free I.S.U. ballcap, a limited quantity are still available at the Union Hall. Just stop in and pick up your free I.S.U. hat.
Wear it with pride!

Blood Bank

The next I.S.U. sponsored Blood Bank Drive will be held on December 9, 1999, at the Millsop Community Center in the Gymnasium. There will be a drawing for three gift certificates in the amount of $200 each at a local grocery