It's only natural that Pittsburgh-area steelworkers would want to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday's Super Bowl. But a U.S. Steel memo says workers in the Clairton, Irvin and Edgar Thomson mills who miss work Sunday or Monday "without just cause" will face "severe disciplinary action."
The United Steelworkers union has criticized the memo. A U.S. Steel spokeswoman tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the company doesn't comment on employee relations.
The newspaper says USW International vice president Tom Conway responded to the memo with an e-mail—in black-and-gold type, the Steelers' colors—that suggested adjusting schedules so volunteers who don't want to watch the game can work during it. Conway suggested lost production during Sunday's 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift could be made up later. 
The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (United Steelworkers or USW) is the largest industrial labor union in North America, with 705,000 members. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United Steelworkers represents workers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The United Steelworkers represent workers in a diverse range of industries, including primary and fabricated metals, chemicals, glass, rubber, heavy-duty conveyor belting, tires, transportation, utilities, container industries, pharmaceuticals, call centers and health care.
The United Steelworkers is currently affiliated with the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) as well as several international union federations. On July 2, 2008, the United Steelworkers signed an agreement to merge with the United Kingdom and Ireland based union, Unite, to form a new global union entity called Workers Uniting.
The current International President of the United Steelworkers is Leo Gerard, who has served as president since 2001.