PITTSBURGH – Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37) met with members of the Pennsylvania Steel Alliance today to discuss the importance of labor and industry working together to advance regional workforce and business opportunities and stability.
“If we want to continue to compete on a global stage and provide high-wage, family-sustaining jobs then all sides must help and encourage capital investment in Pennsylvania’s steel industry. This includes advancing proactive public policy and realistic requirements that allow growth,” said Robinson. “Pennsylvania is consistently losing major projects to other states. I look forward to working with the members of the Pennsylvania Steel Alliance and the General Assembly to improve upon our burdensome, restrictive regulatory processes.”
The meeting took place at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley training hub in Duquesne. The state-of-the-art, 32,500 square foot training center serves as the primary educational site for employees working in the three Pittsburgh-area Mon Valley Works locations.
The Pennsylvania Steel Alliance is a partnership among the leadership in Pennsylvania’s steel industry, its suppliers and labor unions, aimed at educating the public and elected officials about policy issues affecting the industry and jobs. It is co-chaired by Mark Jeffrey, the U.S. Steel Mon Valley Works Clairton plant manager, and Bernie Hall, District 10 director for the United Steel Workers.
“On behalf of our co-chairs, we are pleased that Sen. Robinson joined the meeting of the Pennsylvania Steel Alliance and spoke to the importance of the steel industry and its workforce. As chairman of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, Sen. Robinson has an important voice in Harrisburg on issues impacting industry and jobs in the commonwealth,” said Chris Masciantonio, executive director of the Pennsylvania Steel Alliance.
According to a recent study by the alliance, the steel and metals industry provides 123,761 full and part-time jobs in Pennsylvania – nearly 31,000 are directly in iron and steel mills. The steel industry in Pennsylvania provides an annual economic output of $55.3 billion in the state.
CONTACT:
Kevin Battle