ATI 'outraged' by picketer dressed as 'Grim Reaper,' carrying noose

Allegheny Technologies, Inc. is investigating an incident in which a striking employee was reportedly seen carrying a scythe and wearing a “Grim Reaper” mask and a noose around his neck outside of the company’s plate mill in Washington, Pa., a company spokeswoman said Thursday.

Craig Smalls, 53, a replacement worker from Charlotte, N.C., said he and others saw the picketer as they left the plant on Tuesday.

An overhead crane operator, Smalls said he’s been working there for two weeks.

Smalls said that at one point, the employee grabbed the rope to the noose and pointed it at them.

“As a Black man, I was very offended,” he said. “We are human. We have families. We are just making a living, too.

“We have done nothing wrong to those union employees. Their beef is with ATI, not us,” he said. “They walked off their jobs. We understand they want more from their company. We agree. We are just temp workers.”

Smalls described the scythe as long-handled, like one associated with the “Grim Reaper.”

“That’s what really blew our minds,” he said. “They allowed them to be out there with weapons.”

ATI spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie said the company is aware of the incident and investigating.

“We are outraged by the conduct,” Gillespie said. “It is in direct violation of our values and will not be tolerated.”

The United Steelworkers will need to review and investigate before commenting, spokesman Jess Kamm said.

“The USW condemns racism, which plays into management’s hands to divide workers,” Kamm said.

About 1,300 USW members have been on strike at nine ATI facilities since March 30. The union and company announced July 2 that they had reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract.

The USW released a summary of proposal on Tuesday. It plans to announce the results of ratification votes on Tuesday.

Smalls said this is the first time he’s crossed a picket line, which he said he’s kind of against doing but needed the work to support his family.

From reading the summary, Smalls said the proposed contract sounds pretty good.

“I hope they go for it, and I hope they go back to work,” he said.

Terms of a negotiated return to work agreement includes that “all scabs will be out of the facilities before USW members return to work,” the summary reads.

Although Smalls said Tuesday was the first time there had been an incident, he said two boxes marked as “scab coffins” have been visible outside the plant.

“That’s a little over the top,” he said. “Their beef is not with us. Their beef is with the company. They’re going back to work.

“That’s not cool. That’s not cool at all.”