KEEWATIN — A union official says U.S. Steel plans to start recalling laid-off workers to its Keewatin Taconite plant in Minnesota starting next week.

Steelworkers 2660 President Jack Thronson says the company told union officials that it will recall almost 200 workers laid off in October while doing repair work on the idled plant. Thronson says the employees will work on maintenance projects to get the plant ready to run. He says U.S. Steel officials told the union they would like to have the plant up and running and could recall all workers in January.