Manchin still fighting for Weirton mill

WEIRTON -- U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin believes there still could be an opportunity for tin to be manufactured in Weirton, and is working to put pressure on those who can make it a reality.

Manchin, D-W.Va., was in Weirton Thursday, meeting as part of a roundtable discussion at the United Steelworkers Local 2911 Hall with representatives of Cleveland-Cliffs, the USW, Form Energy and other local officials.

"We have a challenge," Manchin said. "We've got one more bite of the apple with the ITC."

Cleveland-Cliffs, the owner of the tinplate manufacturing facilities in Weirton, announced Feb. 15 it planned to idle indefinitely the local mill following a 4-0 ruling on Feb. 6 by the U.S. International Trade Commission that the domestic tin industry was "not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reasons of imports," from Canada, China and Germany. An investigation concerning imports from South Korea was terminated by the ITC.

That decision countered a ruling by the U.S. Department of Commerce in January which determined imported products from those four nations were being sold in the U.S. at less than fair value, recommending tariffs be initiated.

The idling is now scheduled for April 20, and is expected to affect approximately 900 local workers.

Manchin noted, while it is rate for a decision by the ITC to be overturned, it has happened, citing in particular a 2013 veto by then-president Barack Obama concerning a proposed ban of imports on older model Apple products, and a 1985 decision by then-president Ronald Reagan concerning Duracell batteries.

"We're not asking to set a precedent," Manchin said, noting he has plans to speak with President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo next week on the possibility of overturning the ITC ruling. "We're not going to give up on this."

Some of the USW representatives in attendance noted there currently are only three domestic producers of tin - Cleveland-Cliffs, Ohio Coating and U.S. Steel - explaining when the Weirton plant goes idle, there will be only 122 people represented by the USW involved in manufacturing tin in the country.

USW 2911 President Mark Glyptis said federal officials need to consider the ITC decision from a national security issue, and not just one concerning trade, adding it would be impossible to build much of the nation's military equipment with U.S. produced materials based on current manufacturing levels.

"The people need to wake up and put the country first," Glyptis said, saying the idling of the Weirton plant won't just affect the 900 employees. "It's not only the workers. It's their wives. It's their children. It's the entire nation."

Ed Bowman, former Weirton mayor and former state senator, said this is an all-too-familiar battle for area residents, explaining he has been involved in, or surrounded by, similar campaigns for half of his life.

"So many of those times we're fighting against the actions of our own government," he said.

Current Weirton Mayor Harold "Bubba" Miller noted a commercial he saw featuring Biden declaring the need for domestic metal manufacturing, a point Manchin said he would raise with the president.