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Major Mishaps at Nuclear Facility: Steelworkers Union Calls for Investigation

For Immediate Release                                                July 25, 2006

Erwin, TN –The United Steelworkers (USW) is calling upon the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to investigate alleged safety and production problems at Nuclear Fuel Services’ (NFS) facility in Erwin, Tennessee.

“We are urging the NRC to investigate whether NFS is putting worker or community safety, product quality, and our nation’s security at risk by having replacement workers perform work they are not qualified for,” stated USW District 9 Director Connie Entrekin in a letter to the NRC dated today.

Approximately 370 members of USW Local 9677 have been on strike at the Erwin facility since May 16, 2006.  NFS has used outside contractors and salaried employees to do work normally done by the highly skilled, highly trained striking workers.

Alleged safety and production problems at the facility since the strike began include: