My next piece on the Honeywell lockout in Metropolis Illinois was due to come out in next month's edition of Labor Notes. But earlier this week a tentative settlement was reached. So here is the updated version online... Elements of Victory Emerge as Uranium Lockout Nears End Jerry Mead-Lucero | July 21, 2011 After more than a year outside the gates, the lockout at the Honeywell uranium conversion plant in Metropolis, Illinois, looks to end. Details of the July 19 settlement were scant. Members will consider the deal this week and union leaders will take questions Monday. A vote could take place next week—unless members reject the deal outright. For the rest go here... http://labornotes.org/2011/07/elements-victory-emerge-uranium-lockout-nears-end

Last Saturday, the locked-out Steelworkers of Local 7-669 in Metropolis Illinois held a rally marking one year since the 228 workers at the Honeywell Uranium Processing plant were locked-out. And on today's program I will bring you an update of the efforts of the Steelworkers to bring the lock-out to a close. This will be part 1 of a multi-episode update. Definitely some interesting, inspiring and disturbing stuff that you want to stay tuned for. On today's program will also get an update on the struggle over La Casita in the Pilsen neighborhood. We will hear from Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey about new Mayor Rahm Emmanuel's attack on teachers in Chicago. We will hear from nurses about cuts to the Cook County hospital system. And we will hear from labor journalist Mike Elk about a boycott of the Huffington Post... http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressFor7-4-11

I traveled down to the far southern tip of Illinois last weekend to participate in a rally marking 1 year since members of Steel workers local 7-669 have been locked out at the Honeywell uranium conversion plant. Tomorrow's episode of Labor Express Radio will be part 1 of a multi-episode update on the lock-out. Next month's edition of Labor Notes will also include an article on recent developments in the lock-out. As a teaser and to provide some context for those not aware of the situation, I thought I would post the full version of my reflections on my visit to Metropolis last September. This piece was edit for publication in Labor Notes October edition and in the November edition of News and Letters, but I have not previously posted the full version... The Men of Steel Locked-Out in the Home of the Man of Steel Metropolis - Labor Land : As you approach the tiny town of Metropolis it is abundantly clear, as much as 25 miles out, that this is union friendly territory...