Some mills and processing plants run 24 hours a day. Thus some workers have evening or night shifts. In addition, workers may be expected to work weekends and holidays. Overtime work is common during peak periods. Many steel production workers belong to a union.
Wages vary according to training, experience and location.
Entry level wages may be lower. For more information on wages for specific occupations, see the career profiles for Plating Machine Set-up Operators , Heat Treaters , Foundry Workers , Forge Shop Workers and Machine Tool Operators . Earnings in the steel and plastic industries vary by occupation and experience. In addition, area of the country, industry, and plant size can effect wages. Some firms link bonuses to output.