The steel industry once dominated northwest Indiana and Chicago’s southeast side.  Many of the mills are now gone, but those that remain still subcontract service work to Local 150 employers.  Operating some of the largest endloaders and cranes, Local 150 members move raw materials such as coal and iron ore around the mills.  The steelmaking process yields a byproduct called “slag,” which is in turn processed to reclaim metals and to produce aggregate materials used in road and other construction projects.  Several hundred Local 150 members make their living performing this hot, dangerous work.