GRANITE CITY – Madison County Chairman Alan Dunstan said one of his top priorities is to push to get U.S. Steel back open in Granite City.
“U.S. Steel is about the only bad thing we have going now with 2,000 working down there laid off,” he said. “I in the process of trying to set up a meeting with the CEO of U.S. Steel through Representative Dick Durbin’s office to try to help get it up and running. I am doing everything I can.”
Dunstan said he had been told some updates had been made to the steel plant by U.S. Steel, so that is an encouraging sign there could be movement to get the plant open again.
“I know they put a new caster out there recently and have done some other electrical work in the last month,” he said. “Someone told me some of the work was done as of 30 days ago. I don’t think they would be spending money out there if they didn’t intend to bring U.S. Steel back.”
Dunstan said U.S. Steel has always been an extremely productive plan and has a good workforce, which is needed in the steel industry. Dunstan said the problem for U.S. Steel and other American companies is China and some others allegedly have government-subsidized programs, a violation of international trade laws.
“Our steel products are stronger and much better than China,” he said. “The workers and owners of the steel companies just want a level playing field so they can compete. I think U.S. Steel can compete with anyone as far as meeting production goals. We have the most productive work force in America here in regard to producing steel.”
The county commissioner has traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss the steel matters and said he will continue to try to get assistance from legislators. Dunstan said he also hopes that U.S. Steel becomes more integrated with its steel products if it does reopen, so if something goes down there are other steel products to keep things going.
“We have to get these people back to work,” Dunstan said.
