The Baltimore Sun reported that about 500 workers at Severstal NA’s Sparrows Point have been temporarily laid off because of a two week shutdown of the steel mill's finishing side operations.

Ms Marika Diamond, spokeswoman of Severstal NA said that the shutdown began Sunday and will end August 29.

She said “Due to the softening market conditions, we temporarily idled some of the finishing operation for a two week period so that we could align our capacity with market demands.”

Mr John Cirri, president of United Steelworkers Local 9477, said last week that the shutdown could result in forced layoffs as opposed to retirements and voluntary layoffs.

Union officials also said last week that Severstal is looking for a buyer for the plant in Baltimore County and its other financially strapped US plants. The company declined to comment on reports of a sale.

(Sourced from baltimoresun.com)