About 4,500 people will lose health benefits after a recent decision by RG Steel, according to union officials.

Union presidents met with RG officials Monday morning, and Steelworkers Union Local 1190 held a meeting for its union members Monday evening to let them know the news.

According to David Julio, a Local 1190 officer, RG employees who have retired or been laid off since 2003 will lose health benefits and life insurance.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, union officials are meeting with RG officials again to try to make sure those benefits are extended until Aug. 31. Then, Julio said, union officials will work with a committee to try to find a group policy for those members.

"We're actually working on medical plans so that there is a seamless entry from one to the other through the VEBA. We actually split the VEBA trust, which is Voluntary Employee Benefit Association. We have a lot of people on that now," Julio said.

Still, Julio added, the group insurance policy will be much more expensive than the one the former employees are losing.