Pittsburgh Steelers Better Not Skip Making Steel on Monday

Great moments in corporate communication:

It's only natural that Pittsburgh steelworkers would want to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday's Super Bowl.

But a U.S. Steel memo says workers in the Clairton, Irvin and Edgar Thomson mills who miss work Sunday or Monday "without just cause" will face "severe disciplinary action."

The United Steelworkers union has criticized the memo. A U.S. Steel spokeswoman tells a newspaper that the company doesn't comment on employee relations.

The newspaper says USW International vice president Tom Conway responded to the memo with an e-mail — in black-and-gold type, the Steelers' colors — that suggested adjusting schedules so volunteers who don't want to watch the game can work during it. Conway suggested lost production during Sunday's 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift could be made up later.

Both teams, the Packers and Steelers, represent industries that used to be great but have largely been outsourced to other countries or states. Given that Pittsburgh doesn't have all that much to brag about, perhaps the company would be better off just cutting the employees a little slack on Monday.