ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The fallout from the idling of a furnace in Granite City two weeks ago has officially begun as layoffs are underway.
According to United Steel Worker Local 1899 Vice President Craig McKay, 267 workers have received their pink slips and told they have been laid off in the first wave of layoffs.
"As far as this week goes, this was the first week that we saw any impact as far as layoffs," said McKay.
The layoffs comes two weeks after U.S. Steel has temporary idled furnace B at the Granite City steel plant as part of a 'risk mitigation plan'. U.S. Steel said the it would only temporarily shutter the only operational furnace on the mill’s campus.
The Pittsburgh-based company blames the ongoing United Auto Workers strike for the decision.
McKay says they expect more rounds to layoffs to come later on this month.
"We don't know for sure," said McKay, "But we are thinking that potentially we could see some more layoffs later on in October in the maintenance and electrical departments."
McKay says they have been told those layoffs could come at around the week of Oct. 22nd.
McKay says he also didn't know when the blast furnace could resume back in operation, but said that once the blast furnace cools down, it could take a month or longer to heat the furnace back up.
United Steelworkers hosted an informational meetings on Tuesday for the workers who lost their jobs, where they will discuss things such as filing for unemployment benefits from the state and helping those laid off with supplemental pay or insurance over the next couple of months.