Locked out from June 28th, 2010 to August 2nd, 2011.
January Archive
USW 7-669 holds Town Hall Meeting VIDEO!
The Town Hall Meeting held January 26th was a huge success. We were please to have the opportunity to answer all your questions and hear your comments. We would like to thank everyone that attended and hope to have another event very soon. The entire video of the event is available on our channel at UStream.
USW Safety Report released at Locked-Out Honeywell Plant. Illinois Lawmaker questions use of temp workers in toxic uranium processing.
For Immediate Release: January 18, 2011
Contact: John Paul Smith (618) 638-7894; jsmith@usw7-669.com
USW Safety Report Released at Locked-Out Honeywell Plant Illinoislawmaker questions use of temp workers in toxic uranium processing
Metropolis, IL (Jan. 18) – 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).
Illinois State Rep. Phelps declared: “In light of the community safety report, it is irresponsible for Honeywell to keep operating” He said. “The warning signs were made clear in the report. It’s not a question of if, but when a disaster will occur.”
According to a summary of the report made by USW Local 7-669 President Lillie, he said it documented that up to 1.12 million pounds of hydrofluoric acid at a time were in use at Honeywell Metropolis Works. “Honeywell has acknowledged that a release of just 16 percent of this amount of hydrofluoric acid could impact as many as 128,000 people in the surrounding 25 mile radius.”
He added, “Everyone only needs to remember the release of hydrofluoric acid on Dec. 22, 2010, which triggered emergency sirens and activated the facility’s emergency mitigation towers, which are designed to spray water in an attempt to knock down escaping gas. Fortunately, the incident didn’t cause any reported injuries.”
The primary product made at Metropolis Works is uranium hexafluoride, called UF6. According to Lillie, it’s a radioactive substance that is used to produce nuclear energy. Other hazardous chemicals used in storage at Honeywell Metropolis are: Fluorine; Sulfuric Acid; Potassium Hydroxide and Ammonia.
“Inside the plant, our union members are the guardians of safety. At the present time, the inexperienced temps are in the Honeywell Metropolis plant and under the thumb of management without the needed training and without a commitment to community safety.”
The Local 7-669 president pledged to continue efforts to bargain in good faith with Honeywell, but he also promised: “We will not bargain away worker safety, or safety of the community.”
A copy of the USW community safety report, “Communities at Risk? – Potential Hazards in Metropolis (IL) and Paducah (KY) is available at: www.usw7-669.com/.
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Press conference today at 12:00. Watch the video here!
Mon, 01/17/2011 - 8:49pm
Today at noon, there was a press conference at the United Steel Workers Union hall here in Metropolis, IL. Illinois State Representative Brandon Phelps joined our executive board to issue a report on the hazards at the Metropolis Honeywell facility. You can watch the press conference here. Click on the story title for access to the entire report.
Honeywell to further pollute our community! (And they don't think you can stop them!) VIDEO!
Honeywell's Wednesday "community" meeting was well attended......... by Securitas guards. Honeywell was required by the Illinois EPA to hold a community meeting to answer questions and discuss their plans to create a permanent contaminated "concrete block" in our backyard. Did the public know about the meeting? Probably not. Honeywell thought they were smarter than everyone else and never announced the meeting. Furthermore, the window for public comment to the IEPA closes at the END OF JANUARY!
The Truth Shall Set You Free* *(if you ever start being truthful)
A Shaw scab named Kelly Knight was fired this week for over filling a tank in Wet Process. Apparently, she wasn't paying attention, but don't worry, these are the safest scabs in the industry. She is upset that her name is on our website now and has e-mailed us demanding that we remove it. Kelly, haven't you learned from the company's mistakes that we don't respond well to demands.
Union Officials were also contacted this week by a Houston area Meteorologist that believes the mysterious bird deaths happening in Arkansas, Louisiana, and here in Western Kentucky are due to the H.F. that made it into the atmosphere and was carried by the jet stream. One look at the WPSD footage shows that the cloud of H.F. was rising above the spray towers. Honeywell's response. "It was all contained by the mitigation system." How long will the public allow this corporation to mislead them?
Today our local union announced that we will conduct a town hall meeting on Thursday, January 20th, at 6:30 P.M. It will be held at the Metropolis Community Center. Our elected committee and union members will be present to answer any and all questions that the public may have. The meeting will also be recorded and the video available on our website. Please plan to attend. We will set the record straight. Honeywell isn't going to start telling the truth anytime soon.
The January 20th meeting should not be confused with the January 12th community meeting held by Honeywell to discuss licensing of their containment ponds. The community should feel free to attend it also, but it is likely that the company will not discuss any issues not directly related to the ponds.
