Business Editors

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2001

The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) announced today that the Union will sponsor a rally outside Cincinnati radio station WLW AM 700 "to protest AK Steel's (NYSE:AKS) recent attempts to deprive USWA members of their First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech," according to the USWA.

Last week, AK Steel threatened to withdraw advertising from WLW if Steelworkers representative Mike Zielinski appeared on the station's Bill Cunningham Show as scheduled. The station promptly scratched Zielinski from the show and replaced him with AK Steel's Vice President of Public Affairs, Alan McCoy, the USWA said.

"AK Steel locked out 620 Mansfield workers and flaunted environmental laws," said USWA District One Director David McCall, "rightfully, its public image and reputation have suffered."

AK Steel is currently being sued by the United States Department of Justice and the Ohio Attorney General's Office for alleged repeated violations of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as a result of a seven-year investigation of the company's Middletown, Ohio works.

"If AK wants to be perceived as a good corporate citizen, the company needs to start behaving like one -- end the Mansfield lockout and clean up its environmental problems," McCall said.

Rally/Press Conference Information:

Monday, February 12, 2001 - 5:30 p.m.

1111 St. Gregory Street in the Mount Adams Neighborhood of

Cincinnati - 45202

- Photo Opportunity - Interviews -

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