Follow USW

f t y i

X

Atomic

Uranium enrichment began in the United States as part of the World War II Manhattan Project to produce nuclear weapons. The first uranium enrichment operations were set up at what is now the Oak Ridge Nat’l. Laboratory (Tennessee) in 1942. In the 1950’s the U.S. government set up two additional enrichment plants, in Paducah in 1952 and in Piketon, Ohio.

The major technology used at Oak Ridge for the weapons program was gaseous diffusion. The Paducah and Piketon plants also were gaseous diffusion plants. USW and its predecessor unions have represented workers at all three sites from early on.

Latest News

USW Members Support Space Exploration

Nine highly skilled USW members at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) use their expertise to help propel America’s spacecraft and rover systems across the solar system.

Local 1-689 Pushes Reindustrialization of Former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Local 1-689 leaders met separately with a top Department of Energy official and an Ohio congressman to gauge their support for possible initiatives that could bring jobs to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant after the cleanup work is completed.

Local 12-652 Wins Major Wage Increases, Other Improvements at Idaho National Laboratory

The contract with Battelle Energy Alliance covers 24 different work classifications in maintenance and operations for about 380 members who work on the Advanced Test Reactor and the nuclear research and development side of Idaho National Laboratory.

USW Launches Infrastructure Campaign: We Supply America

We’re taking a broad, ambitious view that includes rebuilding not only our physical infrastructure – like roads, bridges, ports and waterways – but also the social infrastructure of our schools, communications networks and public health services.

Resources

WHPP: The Worker Health Protection Program

The Worker Health Protection Program (WHPP) is a program sponsored by the Dept. of Energy to detect and address health problems of DOE workers.

Brief Summary of USW Representation in the U.S. Nuclear Materials Sector

As of November 2012 Local unions at most USW nuclear sites in the United States are active in USW’s Atomic Energy Workers’ Council (AEWC). Several others are not involved currently.

The U.S. Nuclear Sector and USW History of U.S. Uranium Enrichment

Uranium enrichment began over 70 years ago in the United States and for most of those years the United Steelworkers and its predecessor unions have represented workers at American sites.

Civil & Human Rights Fight Back America PAC Rapid Response SOAR USPA Activist Corps Women of Steel Health, Safety and Environment Workers Uniting Emergency Response Team