U.S. Steel idles St. Louis area blast furnace

A steel plant is being affected by the UAW strike. 

U.S. Steel has announced that it will temporarily idle a St. Louis area blast furnace.

Reduced customer demand is the blamed reason, resulting from the United Autoworkers union strike that was announced earlier this month. 

One of the first plants to hit the picket line was the General Motors plant in Wentzville. 

It is not known how many layoffs there will be to the Granite City plant, but a spokesperson states that they will be done in phases and will last less than six months. 

It is unknown if the assembly plants in the Kansas City region will stop work and hit the picket line as well.