For Immediate Release                                        September 1, 2006

PITTSBURGH - Striking workers at the Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) facility in Erwin, Tennessee remain united and determined to gain a fair union contract despite aggressive and potentially dangerous anti-union actions by management at this 370-worker facility that supplies the US Navy nuclear fleet.

Members of United Steelworkers Local 9-677 have been on strike at the nuclear fuel facility since May 16, 2006, seeking to improve benefits and working conditions and strengthen restrictions on sub-contracting. Union workers are also fending off company demands to eliminate the defined benefit pension plan and replacing it with a 401k savings plan.

“After almost four months, the union members remain united in this fight to protect our hard-won benefits,” said Roger Birchfield, president of Local 9-677. He said management has used sub-contractors and salaried employees in attempts to keep the plant running, and in recent weeks, new and inexperienced replacement workers