U.S. Steel Corp. will indefinitely idle the last operating blast furnace at its Hamilton Works in Canada, affecting more than 900 steelworkers, said Bob Gallagher, a spokesman for the United Steelworkers in Canada.

Company spokesman Trevor Harris said in a published report no layoffs will occur, and workers would be assigned other tasks. Gallagher said it will take about two weeks for the blast furnace to be placed on a "full cold shutoff."

The USW at the Hamilton plant is negotiating a contract to replace one that expired in July, Gallagher said. U.S. Steel also is embroiled in a court battle with the Canadian government over whether the Downtown-based steelmaker lived up to promises it made when it bought Hamilton mill owner Stelco in 2007. Those promises included maintaining production and employment levels in Canada.

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