The Oregonian reported that workers at Schnitzer Steel’s Cascade Steel Rolling Mills Inc in McMinnville in US have organized a work slowdown at the foundry today to protest the company's position on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Mr Joe Munger president of the United Steel Workers local representing the workers said that the melt shop, where about 20 people work each shift, was shutting down shortly after 3PM and will restart at 3 AM on Saturday when the next shift arrives.

Mr Munger said the union and the mill had a win win contract ready for a vote until last week, when the company insisted on dropping a provision it had already agreed for creating a fund of about USD 50,000 to USD 60,000 a year to cover lost pay of union members who go for training on union matters such as the grievance procedure.

Mr Munger said that “On Thursday, nearly 400 members of Local 8378 turned down the company's latest contract offer by an overwhelming margin and very unhappy. Members are ready to strike but they took Friday's job action to express their dissatisfaction with the company.”