We don’t need pizza, ATI; we need to return to work

Pittsburgh Poast Gazette

When I returned home after two tours of duty in the Middle East as part of my U.S. Air Force service, I was thrilled to start a career as a steel worker at the Allegheny Technologies (ATI) mill. I found much personal satisfaction in my job, and it gave me the ability to support myself and my family.

And then the unthinkable happened. On Aug. 15 of this year, more than 2,200 members of the United Steelworkers were locked out of their jobs by ATI after contract negotiations failed to achieve consensus. Workers have offered to continue working while negotiations proceed, but ATI’s management rebuffed the offer and demanded that the union submit to deep concessions before allowing workers back to their jobs … more