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Laid-Off Ormet Steelworkers Target Ohio Governor

A labor union seeking the reopening of Ormet Corp.'s aluminum smelter in eastern Ohio is launching a multimedia campaign aimed at Ohio Gov. John Kasich. The United Steelworkers' "Save Ohio Jobs" campaign will be outlined Tuesday.

HANNIBAL, Ohio (AP) -- A labor union seeking the reopening of Ormet Corp.'s aluminum smelter in eastern Ohio is launching a multimedia campaign aimed at Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

The United Steelworkers' "Save Ohio Jobs" campaign will be outlined Tuesday.

Through videos and a new website, the union says it will gather signatures urging Kasich "to use the power of the governor's office" on behalf of about 1,000 laid off workers.

Ormet filed for bankruptcy protection in February. It decided to close its plant along the Ohio River near Wheeling, W. Va., last month after state utility regulators rejected portions of its proposed deal for reducing electricity costs.

Kasich's spokesman says Ormet received nearly $350 million in power discounts from American Electric Power customers but that wasn't enough to overcome industry conditions.

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