Illinois Lawmakers Question Community Safety at Honeywell
METROPOLIS, Ill., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new area-wide safety report titled, "Communities at Risk?" that cites potential hazards at the Honeywell uranium conversion processing plant and revelations from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has Illinois lawmakers joining USW leaders Tues., Jan. 18 for a 12:00 Noon CST (1:00 pm EST) news conference at the USW Local 7-669 union hall to kick off release of the report to community residents.
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The USW local union will also be posting the report on its website just prior to the news event at www.usw7-669.com.
Live video streaming of the press conference will also be available from the local union website at: www.usw7-669.com.
"We've become gravely concerned for the safety of the greater Metropolis-Paducah 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 workers locked out by the company since Jun. 28.
Illinois State Rep. Brandon Phelps (D-Harrisburg) and State Sen. Gary Forby (D-Benton), both point to the inexperienced, temporary workers as a source of concern. The report describes a 25-mile area that includes Paducah, KY, as vulnerable to a release of as little as 16 percent of the hydrofluoric acid in use that could impact 128,000 residents.
WHO: Illinois State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton-59th Dist.; Illinois State Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg-118th Dist.; Mike Mezo, Chief USW Negotiator; Darrell Lillie, President, USW Local 7-669, representing locked out workers at Honeywell-Metropolis.
WHAT: United Steelworkers (USW) News Conference
WHEN: 12:00 p.m. CST (1:00 pm EST), Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011
WHERE: USW Local 7-669 Union Hall; North U.S. Rte. 45; Metropolis, IL
WHY: Use of temporary workers at Honeywell Corp.'s uranium processing plant raises concerns about community safety during lockout by Honeywell Corp.
SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)
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