Leaders try to keep mill from closing
Last Updated on 3/20/2010
Published on 6/28/2009
By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com
In what may have been a last ditch effort to keep Georgetown's steel-making plant from closing, a meeting was held last week between local leaders and the upper management of ArcelorMittal in Chicago.
The closing of ArcelorMittal-Georgetown for an "indefinite" amount of time is still on track to take place July 12.
Last week, Georgetown County Economic Development Director Wayne Gregory, Jim Moore with the Northeastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) and State Rep. Carl Anderson met with ArcelorMittal leaders at their Chicago headquarters.
When asked the names of the management with whom they met, Gregory said they did not want their identities revealed.
"During this meeting we expressed our desire to retain the jobs at our local mill in Georgetown," Gregory said Friday. "The company stated that they appreciated our visit and desire to keep the jobs in Georgetown. They also emphasized how difficult things are for the steel industry right now. We remain hopeful that the jobs can be retained."
Keeping the plant running and the 240-plus workers employed is a two-way street, Gregory said by phone Friday.
"There has to be union concessions," Gregory said the group was told. "It is a fact things are bad right now and this is not the company trying to get something over on the union. Steel mills all over are really struggling."
Anderson said he feels their is still hope for the mill to remain open.
"I hope the union will sit down at the table and realize we are in a recession. The company is not asking them to agree to concessions for the company to make some huge profit. I hope they will decide to accept this on a temporary basis," Anderson said. "The concessions are to keep the mill open and to keep things afloat."
Anderson said "the ball is now in the hands of the union" to decide if the shutdown will take place.
"I hope (union president) James Sanderson and the union sit down and really look this thing over," Anderson said Friday. "If they need to meet with the Legislative Delegation, we will be happy to meet with them."
Anderson said the Delegation met with union and company officials earlier this year and he thought things were worked out.
A message left for Sanderson Saturday was not returned.
The other purpose
The other purpose for the Chicago trip was for the community leaders to participate in a marketing trip led by Santee Cooper and the S.C. Power Team.
Gregory said Santee Cooper and the S.C. Power Team provided the booth space at the National Plastics Expo and invited the county to participate.
"This particular trade show is held once every three years with thousands of participants. From this trip we received several quality leads from companies that are interested in the possibility of locating in Georgetown," Gregory said. "We also visited with representatives from 3V Chemical who had a booth at the show. 3V is doing a great job marketing their product to the world and we enjoyed meeting with them."
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Thank God Carl Anderson and Wayne Gregory are trying. James Sanderson is bad for the union. He is in this thing for himself and doesn't care about us workers, He is a bulk of the problem. Posted by Union member on 6/29/2009 |
