Local media quoted some union officials as saying that workers are returning to the Sparrows Point steel mill sooner than expected.

Mr Chris MacLarion is the acting president of United Steelworkers Local 9477, which represents the workers at the Baltimore County mill told The Baltimore Sun that the bulk of those workers are returning this weekend.

Mr MacLarion said that about 550 of employees will be returning to work soon.

RG Steel had told state officials in December that it would lay off about 720 workers until early March.

Gov Martin O'Malley had been encouraging RG Steel's lenders to help stabilize the company's financial arrangements. The steelmaker and the banks had been in talks to reach a financing agreement.

(Sourced from abc2news.com)