According to AK Steel Corp. of Middletown, Ohio, a laser-wielding picket should be fined, imprisoned and banned from further demonstrations. The company has filed a contempt motion against Roy Crose, a member of the United Steelworkers of America, Local 169, of Mansfield, Ohio, for allegedly violating a court order that governs conduct on the picket line. AK Steel claims that Crose shone a laser pointer at truck drivers and security personnel at its Mansfield plant.

"This most recent charge is just another example of AK Steel trying to deflect attention from the fact that they've locked out 620 families," said Mark Robertson, Local 169's president. The lockout began in September 1999 following a dispute over mandatory overtime and other labor issues, explained union spokesman Tony Montana.

Calls to AK Steel's vice president of public affairs, Alan H. McCoy, went unreturned as of press time.