By Angela Hatton
Metropolis, IL – Negotiators for United Steel Workers and Metropolis's Honeywell plant won't be meeting again until the end of July, but employees continue to picket. USW State Representative Kevin Smith says around 220 employees are picketing in shifts around the clock. Union members have also erected crosses outside Honeywell that represent the number of workers who have died of cancer. Smith says they want to show the need for continued healthcare coverage because of hazardous working conditions. The plant produces nuclear fuel. A written statement from Honeywell says USW's actions are "misleading and draw attention from the issues at hand." Plant officials say the company faces a $20 million revenue loss this year from rising costs and falling productivity.