Justice To Send Help for Soon-To-Be-Displaced Cleveland-Cliffs Employees in Weirton
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WHEELING - West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced Friday he will be sending teams of economic development and job retraining experts to Weirton to assist about 900 Cleveland-Cliffs workers who learned this week they will be losing their jobs.
He expressed regret that he couldn’t do more and called for President Joe Biden and Congress to "rein in" the U.S. International Trade Commission - who he blamed for the job losses.
Justice made his comments during a virtual administration update with the state's reporters on Friday.
"You talk about something that just blindsided us all," Justice said. "It's just a cannonball to the stomach ... (losing) 900 jobs in Weirton and Cleveland-Cliffs is closing.
"I promise you with all my soul ... we will do anything we possibly can to try and help and do something about this terrible situation."
Justice explained the announced closure at the plant came after the U.S. International Trade Commission pulled tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump on tin plate coming from Germany and Canada. He is convinced, though, the tin plate is actually being funneled through those countries from China.
"The problem with that is exactly why President Trump is so unbelievably popular," Justice continued. "He gets it exactly right.
"First and foremost - should we not look after America first? And our workers first? This is just awful beyond belief."
Justice announced his plan will be to immediately deploy an economic development task force to Weirton.
He also intends to send out a Workforce WV Quick Response Team: The purpose of this team, with experts in job training and relocation assistance, is to provide personalized training and certification programs to equip workers with the latest skills.
"But at the end of the day, I don't know if there's a thing in the world we can do," Justice continued. "We'll try. Sometimes we're not successful in trying because we're handcuffed."
In a statement released after the press call, Justice said "four unelected bureaucrats should not have the power to unilaterally dismantle an American industry with no oversight."
"I'm calling on our president and Congress to reign in this commission and not idly stand by while American workers and communities suffer," Justice stated.
During the press call, Justice was asked his thoughts on current U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, announcing he would not run for U.S. president as a third-party candidate in 2024.
Justice is seeking the vacant Senate seat this year as a Republican.
"Without any question in the world, he would have pulled more votes from Biden," Justice responded. "I think President Trump is going to win, and I am going to celebrate that when he wins. And I hope to goodness we'll get our country headed back in the right direction.
"I think the direction we're going in now is 'Crazy Land' stuff. It's the very reason I decided to run for the Senate."
He suggested there are many in America "who would vote for Babydog" for president before they would President Joe Biden.
Justice provided an update on the condition of his popular English Bulldog, who had an operation for a torn ACL in her knee this week. He said she is "doing great," but can't walk.
Following her surgery in Maryland earlier this week, a state trooper had the chore this week of carrying Babydog from the car into the governor's home. The usually passive Babydog didn't appreciate the effort, and Justice said he had to hold her from the front while the trooper picked her up from the back.
Her appetite is good, according to Justice. He said he fed her four chicken nuggets on the way home from the hospital.