Bloomberg reported that US Steel Corp is recalling laid off workers to restart coke production in Ontario and a blast furnace in Illinois.

Mr Rolf Gerstenberger president of the USW chapter representing the Canadian workers said in a telephone interview that about 175 workers were assigned to resume output of coke at Hamilton in Ontario. Mr Gerstenberger added that another 600 will be recalled this summer.

He said that “Rather than an increase in production, the company is calling workers back to avoid severance pay.”

US Steel announced the Canadian layoffs on March 3rd 2009.

Mr Dave Dowling, who represents workers at that site, said in a separate telephone interview that US Steel has called back 100 workers to restart one of two blast furnaces at the company’s operations at Granite City in Illinois.

(Sourced from Bloomberg)