HTHM Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 What do you guys think about this temporary shut down? The ramifications of this loss are huge to Hamilton's economy. Are you of the opinion that it will open again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonny Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 It's a sad day for sure,,,,hope it's just temp,,but can't count on it after such an extreme shut down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikehunter Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 UNBELIEVABLE! I was totally shocked when I heard that on the news! If I had stayed working there I would have been there 30 years now, but I would still be a long way from full pension because of the lay offs during the eighties after the big strike in '81. I hope that the company pulls through in the end and. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Imagine how I feel, just being a few years short of being able to collect my pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikehunter Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Imagine how I feel, just being a few years short of being able to collect my pension. wallbash.gif Yep, you were one of the first people I thought of. I also know several retirees of Stelco and have had many relatives who worked there in the past and are now deceased or retired. My mother's father was the Superintendent of Yard Services in the 50's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Imagine how I feel, just being a few years short of being able to collect my pension. Always hate to hear these kinda stories Chris and I sure hope things turn out OK for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Yep, you were one of the first people I thought of. I also know several retirees of Stelco and have had many relatives who worked there in the past and are now deceased or retired. My mother's father was the Superintendent of Yard Services in the 50's. Always hate to hear these kinda stories Chris and I sure hope things turn out OK for you. Well I'm not hopefull of things improving in the auto sector anytime soon and that mostly all we cater to any more so this could be lengthy. In the mean time though I'm sure I'll be fine guys, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonny Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 As one door closes another opens,, sorry to hear that spiel,,god bless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdfast Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 What do you guys think about this temporary shut down? The ramifications of this loss are huge to Hamilton's economy. Are you of the opinion that it will open again? Yup everything needs steel. Itll Pickup, maybe as a different Company AGAIN. Found out the Saskatchewan was the next most Producer of Steel after Ontario. Humm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Gallimore Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 DAMN... I though this was a steelhead post my bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chukkk Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I hate to be the one to throw cold water on the optimism and hopefully I'm wrong.... My job is to buy Hydro Transformers (large mainly) for an offshore group. Some of these come from Hydro Generating Stations and some from companies that close down or are demolished . Last year I bought a good working transformer from a paper company in New Brunswick it weighed more than 100,000 pounds. This paper company was owned by a paper maker in Finland. The facility was beautifull inside and slated for demolision. The Plant had some of the most advanced equipment in the world and was put up for sale as 'SCRAP' in other words you could not use these machines to make paper. Not by shipping them to India, or China. A group of the 2200 employees could not mortgage their houses and buy the plant and continue what they were doing. The stipulation by the company was this plant was off the world market period. They had only bought the plant a few years before but the theory was they bought it to close it and take that competition out of the world paper market. This US Steel situation sounds unfortunately like the same song with different lyrics. I realize the demand for steel has dropped and likely will never go back to where it was in the stelco days. One reason being we don't need as many cars as they last considerably longer. Railways have shortened areas served by rail and don't need as much track etc. Canada has given up most of it's manufacturing jobs. We are not know for making appliances (steel) TV,s, computers,shoes, clothes. I think USS will leave the plant for a while then dismantle it and recover any assets that it can. It may seem like a big cost to just get rid of a facility but several billion dollars can soon be re-couped if you are controlling the market. I realize there are other factor sucj as offshore steel production but by buying Stelco and shutting it down makes it more lucrative for the giant USS Another point on this and the Hamilton Ontario economy is that there will be no more scrap steel shipped to this facility, putting thousands of others out of work. I welcome you comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I hate to burst your bubble chukkk, but US Steel doesn't control the steel market. At best, they are reacting to Global market forces. The top 10 steel producers in the world have either Indian, Chinese, Korean or Japanese majority ownership. The rest of the top 20 with the exception of 2, (US Steel and Nucore), are Chinese, Russian, Brazilian, German, Indian and Pakistani. The total Global Steel output is 1.3 Billion tonnes, China produces almost 40% of this!!! India will probably be number 2 in terms of output by 2015. One thing that I agree with you on is that this downturn is different than anything most of us have seen in our lifetimes. We will get through it, but it will take much longer than we think it will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I feel for the guys that work there, but this has been a long time coming... how many times were they bailed out?? and it's the same story over and over... Same thing happened in Pittsburg years ago (steel plants shut down), ended up being the best thing that happened to the city... People got to make a living, but in this day and age, bottom line is $$, and if you have a high overhead, you're just that much more expensive against the competition... We've dropped our prices too, not by choice but it's either drop it and get work, or keep it the same and don't get any/as much... Sadly no one wants to take a reduction employees/unions/management/shareholders, and this is the end result everyone looks at what's in it for me, not the overall picture... we are competing against china/india/etc... where labor laws, cost of labor, enviromental issues are all at a very minimum, factor in Government subsidizing and how are you able to compete?? Bottom line is $$ The "Good Old Days" are long and gone, and we should all adjust to it... Hamilton had it's time, but that was long ago... We will make it through this, but everyone needs to "trim the fat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeXXington Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 outch, I feel for all the workers and their families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chukkk Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 I hate to burst your bubble chukkk, but US Steel doesn't control the steel market. At best, they are reacting to Global market forces. The top 10 steel producers in the world have either Indian, Chinese, Korean or Japanese majority ownership. The rest of the top 20 with the exception of 2, (US Steel and Nucore), are Chinese, Russian, Brazilian, German, Indian and Pakistani. The total Global Steel output is 1.3 Billion tonnes, China produces almost 40% of this!!! India will probably be number 2 in terms of output by 2015. One thing that I agree with you on is that this downturn is different than anything most of us have seen in our lifetimes. We will get through it, but it will take much longer than we think it will. Thanks for the insight, that's an amazing amount of knowledge you have all those facts and figures. Are you sure you didn't peek on the internet. How dense am I for insinuating USS controls the world market, however if USS can buy Stelco and get a few government handouts, then close the plant therefore eliminating competition in North America wouldn't that be a business strategy that they may have explored. The Finns don't control the world paper market but they eliminated 2200 jobs and a competitor buy buying the Bathurst NB mill. By the way thats the story they gave as well" we're closing temporarily" . So no you didn't burst my bubble. I just believe that as the need for product drops whether it is cars or steel or both, US companies will bring there business home and eliminate competition where ever they can. Oh by the way could you do me a favour and post the global steel market percentages for the 1950's . I want to see if there is any change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Thanks for the insight, that's an amazing amount of knowledge you have all those facts and figures. Are you sure you didn't peek on the internet. How dense am I for insinuating USS controls the world market, however if USS can buy Stelco and get a few government handouts, then close the plant therefore eliminating competition in North America wouldn't that be a business strategy that they may have explored. The Finns don't control the world paper market but they eliminated 2200 jobs and a competitor buy buying the Bathurst NB mill. By the way thats the story they gave as well" we're closing temporarily" . So no you didn't burst my bubble. I just believe that as the need for product drops whether it is cars or steel or both, US companies will bring there business home and eliminate competition where ever they can. Oh by the way could you do me a favour and post the global steel market percentages for the 1950's . I want to see if there is any change Steel is our business as they say....I am surrounded by it day to day Can't do much for you from the 50's without looking up the data. I was only a gleam in my Daddy's eye until 1953... What I can tell you is between the US and the Brit's they controlled a giant share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chukkk Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 Steel is our business as they say....I am surrounded by it day to day Can't do much for you from the 50's without looking up the data. I was only a gleam in my Daddy's eye until 1953... What I can tell you is between the US and the Brit's they controlled a giant share. The US and the Brits you say John ...... so what happened ? How about the 60's or 70' s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 The US and the Brits you say John ...... so what happened ? How about the 60's or 70' s How about them???? Great times weren't they! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinelz Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 All of a sudden, some ppl think they know what there talking about or they have amazing faith in there crystal ball. No one is sure what will happen, the economy is shot, it can't be too much of a shock. I work at the Hamilton Plant and I hope things pan out. I'm actually optimistic. Time will tell. One day at a time boys and girls. The fifties was a looong time ago, this is a different time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Farmer Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 And to think, "THE BIG CRASH" all started with the price of GAS going up. When will these IDIOTS stop telling people that $0.80 a litre is cheap. Put the gas were it should $0.35 a Litre and leave it there. Don't con us after a year when things pick up then stick it to us again putting the price back up. The world is run on BIG OIL & GAS Company's. Just look were all our money has gone "Dubai" Nobody can afford buying new cars, trucks, boats, rec toys, Travel, etc. Transportation costs. Every thing stems from the price of Gas and Diesel. They have alternative fuels that will work, put the big mungers won't let it happen. They can bail out till the cows come home, nothing will change. You have to fix were it started, or were in this recession then depression for the long haul. The sad thing, I think it's to late. Were wounded, it's going to be a long time to heal. Chris, I feel for you buddy, I was one of the lucky ones after 38 years I got my pension from there. I've been on the phone all day talking to our Buddy's, Just makes me cry listening to them. This should have never happened. Come on by Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdfast Posted March 4, 2009 Report Share Posted March 4, 2009 And to think, "THE BIG CRASH" all started with the price of GAS going up. When will these IDIOTS stop telling people that $0.80 a litre is cheap. Put the gas were it should $0.35 a Litre and leave it there. Don't con us after a year when things pick up then stick it to us again putting the price back up. The world is run on BIG OIL & GAS Company's. Just look were all our money has gone "Dubai" Nobody can afford buying new cars, trucks, boats, rec toys, Travel, etc. Transportation costs. Every thing stems from the price of Gas and Diesel. They have alternative fuels that will work, put the big mungers won't let it happen. They can bail out till the cows come home, nothing will change. You have to fix were it started, or were in this recession then depression for the long haul. The sad thing, I think it's to late. Were wounded, it's going to be a long time to heal. Chris, I feel for you buddy, I was one of the lucky ones after 38 years I got my pension from there. I've been on the phone all day talking to our Buddy's, Just makes me cry listening to them. This should have never happened. Come on by Chris. Our Gas just went up 5 cents. Ridiculous Its 95 which the last time it was this price it was about 100 a Barrel. If you had the price of a Barrel to the Pumps it would look like a steep set of stairs. Barrel goes up a dollar. Pumps goes up 5 cents. Price drops a Barrel by a dollar. Pumps goes down 2 cents. Do you get the Marketing Scam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomO Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I know how it feels to lose your pension, happened to me 5 years ago. 22 years I put in there. It's a hard pill to swallow for sure but ya gotta keep goin. Hope it doesnt happen for you guys that work there. Their closing aluminum plants down here on the Ohio river. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outllaw Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) a sad deal and its happening everywhere. un fortunately some folks through internet wisdom flogged workers on saying canadians are not productive.. we are and have proven it in quality products. the asian countrys thru advanced unfair trade, offshore to boot, made a unfair playing field. i still hope the north american goverments will see this.. or do these asian countries through investments control us... steeltown, like windsor will be hard hit. we are losing another shift and job loss of 1200 more in june. spinoff will create hundreds more feeder plant jobs.losses wheres our goverment.??? Edited March 5, 2009 by outlaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Cliff Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 And to think, "THE BIG CRASH" all started with the price of GAS going up. When will these IDIOTS stop telling people that $0.80 a litre is cheap. Put the gas were it should $0.35 a Litre and leave it there. Don't con us after a year when things pick up then stick it to us again putting the price back up. The world is run on BIG OIL & GAS Company's. Just look were all our money has gone "Dubai" Well, I agree that we are getting gouged on gas but since we pay $0.34/L just in taxes and I doubt we'll ever see that reduced, you can forget seeing reasonable prices for gas ever again. Chris, really sorry to hear about this but you my friend are a survivor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musky_man Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Feel your pain, Spiel ... wife got laid off at Global 3 weeks ago ... now we have to guess if she'll get her full severance ... if they go bankrupt, then she won't ... now they are bleeding more red than a floating fish factory. Best of luck to you. Imagine how I feel, just being a few years short of being able to collect my pension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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