Attend 'Save our Jobs' rally on May 16

To the Editor:

A battle is on to protect American-made steel and the livelihood of those who make it. U.S. Steel in Granite City is the second-largest property taxpayer in Madison County. The steel mill pays more than $6.65 million to 10 local taxing districts, and provides jobs to more than 2,000 employees, most of whom live in Madison County and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Commerce is turning a “blind eye” to South Korean steelmakers, who are “dumping” (selling below cost) great quantities of steel tube and pipe products in the U.S. This threatens to cause layoffs at the Granite City facility, which produces large quantities of tubing and pipe that are used in the oil and gas industry.

The Granite City steel mill is important to all of Madison County. We need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. Steel and its employees by attending a“Save Our Jobs Rally” at 3 p.m. May 16 at Civic Park, 20th St. and Delmar Ave. in Granite City. We need to come together and fight to save steelworkers’ jobs.

Kurt Prenzler

Madison County Treasurer