Steelworker dies after accident DAVID SCHRAG, The Morning Journal, OH
A member of United Steelworkers Local 1104, Burnette was the first female steelworker to be killed at the mill in at least 40 years, a union member said.
Steelworker Deaths and Injuries on the Rise
By Jordan Barab, Confined Space
Observers cite a number of factors. The steel companies and the United Steelworkers have signed new contracts recently giving the companies more flexibility to move workers around to different jobs where they may have less experience. Meanwhile, many experienced workers took advantage of early retirement offers at the same time the demand for steel has been increasing.
"With the turnover in the steel industry, there are a lot of people doing jobs they have never done before," says Mike Wright, director of safety and health for the steelworkers union.