2,000 attend Iron Range ‘Save Our Steel’ Jobs rally

About 2,000 attendees rallied outside the Miner's Memorial Building in Virginia, Minnesota on June 23 in support of the "Save Our Steel Jobs" rally put on by U.S. Steel, the United Steelworkers and the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The rally was protesting the dumping of foreign steel into the American marketplace at far below market value.

About 2,000 attendees rallied outside the Miner’s Memorial Building in Virginia, Minnesota on June 23 in support of the “Save Our Steel Jobs” rally put on by U.S. Steel, the United Steelworkers and the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The rally was protesting the dumping of foreign steel into the American marketplace at far below market value. PHOTO: Save Our Steel Jobs

Going into Monday’s “Save Our Steel (SOS) Jobs” Rally outside the Miner’s Memorial Building in Virginia, Minnesota, I was unsure how well people would turn out given the nice weather and otherwise healthy taconite production the Range. Well, about 2,000 people showed, according to media estimates. That exceeded what I expected.

This was a well-coordinated effort to attract Iron Range miners, their families and other citizens on the notion that cheap foreign steel imports recently dumped on the U.S. marketplace could threaten taconite mining jobs in the future. Though I haven’t been on the Iron Range economic roller coaster as long as some, I have seen enough to know these kinds of rallies usually predate something bad happening. The Range mining industry has been in a sustained boom for almost three years and could be due for at least a moderate correction, which would manifest as a slowdown in iron ore production.

Obviously, that’s not what anyone in attendance Monday wants to happen. The rally was notable for the fact that both “The Oliver” (U.S. Steel) and the United Steelworkers were together in political mission: often a rare feat. Here is the press release from the Save our Steel Jobs campaign:

Virginia, Minnesota – Surging imports of dumped steel pipe and tube products are threatening the Minnesota iron mining industry, which has employed generations of Iron Range residents for 130 years. Today, Governor Mark Dayton and more than 2,000 Iron Range residents joined iron mining workers in Virginia as they rallied for their jobs. The U.S. Department of Commerce is currently weighing a trade case that could leave thousands of workers vulnerable — a decision is expected in mid-July.

The Rally on the Range was the final stop in the national Save Our Steel Jobs (#SOSJobs) campaign, which has included stops in Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Alabama.

South Korea and eight other countries are dumping steel products into the U.S. market in violation of federal trade laws. These imports of unfairly priced pipe and tube products are threatening the Minnesota iron mining industry. More than 500,000 steel-related jobs across the country – including 10,400 in Minnesota – are at risk if the U.S. does not effectively enforce its established trade laws.

“There is overwhelming evidence that this steel pipe is being dumped in a manner intended to circumvent international trade law,” said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM). “What’s at stake is whether America’s steel producers and iron mining workers will have a fair chance to compete in such an important market.”

At the rally, state and local lawmakers pledged their support while people held signs that read “Save our Steel Jobs” and “Keep it Made In America.” The rally was co-hosted by AAM, a non-profit, non-partisan partnership formed by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers; and the Iron Ore Alliance (IOA), a local alliance between the United States Steel Corporation and the United Steelworkers.

“The U.S. economy prospers when domestic companies and steelworkers have a fair chance to compete in a rules-based market,” said John Rebrovich, assistant to the director of United Steelworkers District 11 and co-chair of the IOA. “When the rules aren’t effectively enforced, American companies lose sales and profits that would otherwise go toward innovation, plant expansions, and hiring more workers.”

“We are humbled and inspired to have such widespread support from public officials, businesses, union members, and members of the general public,” said Larry Sutherland, general manager of Minnesota Ore Operations at U.S. Steel. “It is an excellent example of why we want to continue employing, operating and investing in Minnesota.”

Comments

  1. Ranger47 says

    “When the rules aren’t effectively enforced”….what’s the name of the person who’s not doing their job of enforcing the rules? And who’s his / her boss? Wouldn’t it be more effective to hold the rally at THEIR office / house???

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.