WEIRTON, W.Va. — Tin mill workers, set to lose their jobs at the end of the week when the Weirton-based Cleveland Cliffs operation closes, attended a resource and job fair Tuesday in Weirton put together by WorkForce West Virginia.
“We want to let them know there are employers out there looking for qualified applicants,” WorkForce Director of Employment Services Maureen Persons told MetroNews.
There were 19 employers on hand, many of them offering manufacturing jobs. The list included Nucor Steel and Form Energy.
“All of them have available jobs for qualified applicants,” Persons said.
The tin mill is scheduled to idle this Saturday after word of the plant’s closing came in late February, as many as 900 employees are losing their jobs. Persons said more than 200 workers showed up Tuesday.
The plant in Weirton got caught up in the unforgiving churn of the international market economy. The company cited an earlier unanimous decision issued by the International Trade Commission negating the implementation of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on tin mill products calculated by the Department of Commerce.
Cleveland Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. The tin produced in Weirton has been used for canning products.
Persons said there are a lot of emotions tied up with losing your job. She said WorkForce West Virginia’s goal is to help during the transition.
“It’s very difficult when the layoffs occur and people are overwhelmed, so we try not to overwhelm them but we give them a push in the right direction,” Persons said.
WorkForce West Virginia also staffed a resource fair to coincide with the job fair. Workers learned of services offered and opportunities for retraining or education.