Town hall planned for April 1, with many determined to save Butler manufacturing jobs

BUTLER, Pa. — More than 1,000 jobs are at risk at Cleveland Cliff’s Butler Works plant. Union leaders with UAW Local 3303 said it’s the only manufacturer in the U.S. and in North America that makes a product called grain-oriented electrical steel, used primarily in distribution transformers. But if the Department of Energy gets its way, that product could be phased out, potentially idling the plant with 1,300 workers losing their jobs.

“We have been opposed to this from day one,” said Jamie Sychak, president of UAW Local 3303. “It would just be devastating. It would be like the early 80s all over again.”

The Department of Energy proposed removing grain-oriented steel from the domestic market and switching to amorphous metal, which would likely come from overseas.

“I feel that the doe is going out of control with the regulations. They’re just putting people out of work and sending it overseas. That’s where it seems to be all going. We need to stop that and put Americans back to work,’ said John Symosky, who lives in Sarver.

Right now, a bipartisan effort is underway to keep the jobs. Congressmen Mike Kelly (R) and Chris Deluzio (D) are working together, introducing legislation to stop this from happening for at least 10 years.

“It scares us. Butler – the main street in Butler – is coming back, and the loss of the jobs, it’s a trickle-down,” said Peter Kupas, co-owner of Vintage Coffee House.

“It’s not good to hear, so hopefully they can get that to change,” said Rob Yusko of Butler.

Kelly invited the secretary of energy to a town hall meeting at the Butler County Community College’s Founder’s Hall on Monday, April 1 at 6 p.m.

Channel 11 has reached out to Cleveland Cliffs multiple times for comment but has not heard back

On Friday, Kelly sent the following statements to Channel 11:

On community impact: “There are 1,300 jobs on the line at the Cleveland-Cliffs’ Butler Works plant. But we’re also talking about the thousands of other local jobs that are connected to these jobs at Butler Works. The coffee shops, the restaurants, the stores who serve the workers from Butler Works. I remember when Pullman was in Butler. The local restaurants had place settings and drinks set up ready for the lunch rush. You couldn’t get a seat if you didn’t work at Pullman, it was guaranteed business for the restaurants. Then, when Pullman left, many of the other jobs went with them. We can’t see that happen to Butler again.”

On national security: “With this proposal, the Biden administration isn’t looking at the entire picture. To me, this is also a matter of national security. Cleveland-Cliffs’ Butler Works plant is the only manufacturer producing grain-oriented electrical steel in the entire United States. The only one. I think the Biden administration has been incredibly short-sighted and wrongheaded on this decision. Grain-oriented electrical steel is already 98% efficient. Where I come from, that’s an A-plus. Nothing is ever 100% efficient. Their decision would sacrifice 1,300 family-sustaining jobs in Butler. That’s terribly, terribly irresponsible.”

On the “rule”: “It’s important that folks understand what a rule really is. This is not legislation from Congress – it’s a regulation directly from the Department of Energy. That’s why I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Representative Deluzio that would stop this rule to protect these jobs and to create more clarity around this process.”

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