A safety report titled, "Communities at Risk?" was released today by USW Local 7-669 leaders highlighting potential hazards by the use of temporary, unskilled workers hired by Honeywell International during a six-month lockout at the nation's largest uranium conversion processing plant.
"We've become gravely concerned for the safety of the greater Metropolis-Paducah (KY) community, especially since the Dec. 22 release of hydrofluoric acid, the NRC citations and the pending OSHA inspection of the Honeywell plant," said Darrell Lillie, USW Local 7-669 President, representing 230 workers locked out by the company since Jun. 28.
Illinois State Rep. Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg-118th Dist) had harsh words for Honeywell management at Metropolis union hall on release of the report. He called on the federal regulatory agencies with responsibility for the plant operations to order a safe shutdown until a new labor agreement is negotiated and the skilled union workers can return to their jobs.
The state legislator joined the USW local president in urging immediate action by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA.) Click here for more of this story.
