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United Steelworkers allowed to use courthouse grounds; steward alleges illegal lockout by NIPSCO
Summary
Commissioners approved a United Steelworkers rally on courthouse grounds April 25; Pierce Kelly, steward for local chapters, told the board the event is intended to publicize what he described as an "illegal lockout" by NIPSCO against local members.
Pierce Kelly, identified in the record as a steward for United Steelworkers locals 12775 and 13796, requested use of courthouse grounds April 25, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to "inform the public the illegal lockout by NIPCO against the United Steel Workers 12775 and 13796." The board granted the request and asked Kelly to coordinate staging and positioning with facilities staff.
Kelly said he expected about 150 union members plus additional public attendees. "We are looking to have a rally on the courthouse grounds... to really show what Nipkco is doing to my members I represent," he told the commission. He provided examples of planned signs and a projected attendance figure of about 150 union members plus others.
The commission's approval was limited to use of courthouse grounds; commissioners instructed Kelly to meet with facilities staff to finalize logistics. The transcript contains the allegation of an "illegal lockout by NIPCO" made by Kelly; no representative of NIPSCO spoke or responded during the meeting, and no county enforcement action was initiated in the record.
Because the transcript uses inconsistent spellings for the utility ("NIPCO," "Nipkco"), this article standardizes to the commonly used regional shorthand "NIPSCO" while reporting the claim as stated by the union steward.
