Nearly 270 workers at a pipe manufacturing plant in Iowa continue to be locked out of work. On January 28, Griffin Pipe closed the doors on employees and refused to let them in. According to the Daily Nonpareil, nearly 200 workers represented by local Steelworkers Union 3141 have filed for unemployment or are relying on assistance from the union’s strike and defense fund. The lockout began after contract negotiations failed between the company and the union. The company has said production at the plant is down and is seeking to place workers in roles where they are needed most, but the union is concerned that such a concession could impact seniority. The union has already agreed to a long list of concessions, including allowing double shifts, mandatory overtime, and an increase on medical premiums.