Labor

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An arbitrator ruled Fire Chief Kenneth Ellerbe retaliated against the president D.C. firefighters union by transferring him to another job and seeking to manufacture a justification for the move. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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A truck passes a political sign in a yard in Dellslow, W.Va., on Oct. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Vicki Smith) ** FILE **

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The United States has hired Tom Sermanni as its new U.S. women's coach. Sermanni had coached Australia for the last eight years. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

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Steubenville’s decline has been extreme. Unemployment in the once-prosperous Ohio steel mill town topped 15 percent two years ago. The jobless rate as of last month still stood at 10.6 percent. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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J.J. Alexander of Steubenville, Ohio, walks past an old Hardy's fast food building which will be used as a new call center in downtown, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Alexander is a dishwasher for the local Smokey Bones and Robinson Restaurant and has been able to find regular work but says he has friends and family members who are struggling. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A large mural painted in homage to the steel workers and the steel mills for which the city of Steubenville's main source of jobs came from, is visible in downtown, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Scott Dressel who has put most of his retirement savings into buying and restoring homes in Steubenville, Ohio has partnered with others in the city to buy and renovate the Grand Theatre in downtown to help spur economic development, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Scott Dressel who has put most of his retirement savings into buying and restoring homes in Steubenville, Ohio has partnered with others in the city to buy and renovate the Grand Theatre in downtown to help spur economic development, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Closed steel mills owned by dozens of companies over the years sits closed and rusting, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A closed steel mill owned by dozens of companies over the years sits closed and rusting, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A small town election day reminder sign hangs in a suburb outside downtown Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A natural gas hydraulic fracturing site run by Chesapeake Energy sits in operation a few miles outside of Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A closed steel mill owned by dozens of companies over the years sits closed and rusting, far left, Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A few cars pass through downtown Steubenville, Ohio, Friday, October 26, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Joseph Drake and his girlfriend Danielle Sadler of Steubenville, Ohio, eat dinner together at Froehlich's Classic Corner, Steubenville, Ohio, Friday, October 26, 2012. Drake says finding work has been hard and hasn't been working for over a year. Sadler said she is just getting by with a waitressing job in town. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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A boot hangs from a highway sign exit for downtown Steubenville, Ohio, Saturday, October 27, 2012. Once a productive steel town, Steubenville, Ohio's population has contracted faster than anywhere else in the country between 1980 and 2000 as their steel plants shut down. The area has seen a drop in unemployment in recent years due in part to the prospects of natural gas but the city still has a long way to go with unemployment figures higher then the the rest of the state and the country. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)