USW Marks One Year Since Clairton Coke Works Explosion, Urges Management to Improve Workplace Safety

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, [email protected]

PITTSBURGH - The United Steelworkers (USW) today reflected on the past year since the explosion at the Clairton Coke Works that claimed the lives of two USW members, honoring their memory while renewing the union's commitment to making every workplace safer.

USW International President Roxanne Brown said that the Aug. 11, 2025, explosion was a tragic reminder of the dangers industrial workers face every day and the importance of maintaining the highest safety standards throughout the steel industry.

"Our hearts remain with the families, friends and co-workers who continue to live with the loss of two dedicated union brothers," Brown said. "No family should ever have to wonder whether their loved one will make it home safely from work."

"The best way we can honor their memory is by continuing to fight for safer workplaces and ensuring that every worker has the training, equipment and authority to speak up about unsafe conditions," she said.

USW District 10 Director Bernie Hall, who chairs negotiations with U.S. Steel, said the day serves as an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned while recommitting to the union's longstanding mission of protecting workers on the job.

In light of another fatality at U.S. Steel's Granite City Works on July 11, 2026, Hall called on management to prioritize workers' health and safety concerns and promote a workplace culture in which production never takes precedence over worker safety.

"Safety requires constant vigilance and a shared commitment," Hall said. "We will continue holding U.S. Steel accountable for providing safe workplaces while working constructively to identify risks before they become tragedies. Every worker deserves to return home safely at the end of every shift."

The USW represents tens of thousands of workers across the steel industry and remains committed to advocating for strong safety protections, meaningful worker involvement in safety programs and continuous improvements that protect workers and their communities.

"Today, we remember our three fallen brothers," Hall said. "Tomorrow, and every day after, we recommit ourselves to ensuring tragedies like this become less likely because workers have a strong voice, employers take safety seriously and everyone shares responsibility for protecting the people who make this industry possible."

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of people in tech, higher education, public sector and service occupations.

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