"We believe we have selected the best partner for Wheeling-Pitt to take us to the decades in front of us," said Esmark chairman James Bouchard during a conference call on Wednesday.

Steel workers still stinging from Esmark's decision to idle two lines at Wheeling-Pitt's plant in Martins Ferry aren't so sure.

"Esmark lied since the beginning when they first got here," said one steel worker, who asked not to be identified. "So I don't know if it's going to be any good for a merger or not."

A steel worker's daughter told NEWS9 she's concerned the new owners would trim the company's workforce even further.

"It's bad because it's a really good job and there's not many good jobs in this area," she said.

The United Steel Workers union has not made a public statement about the Essar merger proposal, but the union could have quite a bit to say about it.

The union's contract with Wheeling-Pitt allows them 52 days to seek an alternate bidder for the company.

Bouchard said Wednesday Esmark would sell to Essar once that period expired or was waived.

"We plan to make significant investments into Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel to make it a low cost, technologically advanced steel producer," said Madhu Vuppuluri, president of Essar Americas. "We look forward to a strong relationship with the United Steelworkers, our employees as well as the local communities."

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