Steel mill closing this July
Last Updated on 5/30/2012
Published on 5/12/2009
Written by Scott Harper
* ArcelorMittal gives employees 60 days notice: 242 workers affected
* Majority of union members recently voted not to accept concessions
By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com
ArcelorMittal-Georgetown is shutting down July 12.
The difference between this shut down and others that have taken place at the steel-making facility recently is there is no restart date being mentioned.
The closure will last "indefinitely," according to Adam Warrington, external communications manager of the mill.
He said members of the United Steelworkers of America have been notified "of the indefinite layoff of 242 employees at the Georgetown facility in accordance with the Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act."
The WARN Act requires employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.
The announcement comes less than a week after a vote by the union membership asking if they would accept concessions. The majority, according to a union member, voted "no".
Warrington was asked what role the vote had in the decision to idle the plant but he did not answer that question.
A union official said workers will be entitled to 80 percent of their pay for up to two years. The company will also pay for their medical insurance for up to 30 months.
The company has tried to save cash by furloughing workers during month-long shutdowns three times since October.
Two weeks ago, ArcelorMittal -- world's largest steel maker -- announced it lost $1.06 billion in the first three months of this year. This follows its first-ever loss in the final quarter of 2008.
The news was so bad, company Chairman Lakshmi Mittal said it was "the most difficult operating environment" the company had ever seen.
Once the shutdown takes place, it will most likely send Georgetown County's unemployment numbers even higher. In March, the jobless rate in the county was 12.8 percent.
Not only is the news bad for the workers who will be looking for employment but it's also bad for the City of Georgetown.
"It impacts our budget immediately," said City Administrator Chris Eldridge. "It is a significant amount of money."
The estimated hit to the city's pocketbook is about $40,000 per month, Eldridge said.
That is from the sale of water to the company as well as the wastewater fee the mill pays.
Eldridge said more details on what the closure means to the city will be presented to city council next week.
"I do know it makes it tougher to balance the budget," he said.
Roller coaster ride
For workers at the once-thriving 40-year-old plant, the past few years have been full of ups and downs as the company has changed ownership more than once and has shut down several times.
In 2003, the company ceased operations and filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. The following year, it was purchased by International Steel Group and reopened with fewer workers.
In 2005, ISG merged with Mittal Steel and completed the merger with Arcelor the following year.
While things have been tough for the steel industry for a long time, the recession took its toll.
In October, 158 workers were laid off from the mill for more than a month. A second shutdown took place in December with workers returning in mid-January.
Most recently, workers returned in mid-April after being furloughed for about a month.
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Back in 2003. My husband was laid off from Georgetown Steel. He was in the IT Department. Everyone at that time new this was the beginning of future layoffs and possible closure for good. I love Georgetown, my daughter was born there. Beautiful place. Nice people. I hope in the near future something can be done to reopen the mill or another huge industry comes in, so that all former employees can work. Sound naive but hey you never know what the future will hold for Georgetown. Posted by on 5/14/2009 |
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It is a very sad day when you get to see in a place like this how low some peoples I.Q can be in this day and time. People talk about the tourist that will save the day, and it makes me laugh. Like they really send a lot of money in this town. In all the years that i have worked a this mill i have brought a total of six vehicles all within the city limits of Georgetown. My house and land are in Georgetown County. I pay taxes on all of this and my boat. But to some it is better to have people to come in to this town to spend a few dollars and then leave. I have done a lot of my shopping here in Georgetown along with a lot of others from the mill. I guess the money that I spend for my daughter to take dance down on front street at the dance studio, or the money that i spend when i take the kids to the ice cream shop or the flower that i buy here in town or the pizza that we buy or any of that matters. The mill may not matter to some that have not lived here all of their life but to us that have its a way of life. You see my dad spent 22 years in the military serving in both Korea and Vietnam so people could be free to a least have an opinion. He also worked at this mill for 20 years. So you see it means more to some than to others. I hope that one day that the mill will open back up and that we will all get back to work until then I hope that the tourist can keep all the shops and car dealers and all the restaurants open and making plenty of money to keep all of their employess at work. Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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Our mill and its people have always done right when times were tough. No question about it. It's one of the reasons it's lasted for about 40 years. If there was ever a time to stand up and be a supporter of industry - the paper mill and the steel mill - now's the time. No matter our disagreements inside or outside the plant, the USW and the steelworkers it helps have proven good through the course of time. I am fairly young. I chose this profession. I will choose to fight for it against all odds. Not just for my family, but all families - even the ones who don't care for me. This is their livelihood. I urge all who read this and work there to forgo the BS, contact your state and national leaders and express to them that the steel industry is not going to just up and die without a fight. Sure, we may disagree about the vote. But we cannot disagree on the fact that mill needs to stay. Let us all work together, find ways to help one another and make it through this tough time. This is not about just one person - it's about Georgetown as a whole. Posted by Jamie Sanderson on 5/13/2009 |
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No comment on Mittal himself. He's one of the richest in the world. He has saved a whole lot of steel mills around the world from going to shambles...until this economic disaster hit. His business practice of saving old mills has been a blessing to thousands around the world. For that, many people should be grateful. But dont know what kind of a guy he is personally or if he takes advantage of people. But it seems there is an attitude among a lot of people that if someone is rich, they are bad or that they take advantage of people. Of course these types do exist. But, there are poor people who do the same. Money doesn't describe what kind, or how good of a person you are. Think about it, rich are bad and poor are good. It doesn't make sense does it? A guy from Michigan goes to Florida and buys an old trailer park. Makes it a nice place so people move in. He gets more money and starts to build homes. Works his butt off and makes it a nice place to live. More people move in...today there are like 70,000 people who live in "The Villages" in Florida. The Villages employs something like 8,000 people. Yes...the guy created 8,000 jobs from his hard work. Don't you think those people and their families want the owners to succeed? So he can make more jobs and opportunities? (ok the guy did die and his family runs the business)... but many, many people look on the family/founder as crooks or bad guys. I know because my father is one of them. They act like the family is bad because now they are rich. We need more people like this founder to make more jobs. If this guy had his money taken away from him by raising his income taxes 30% and his business taxes the same...The Villages wouldn't have grown to what it is today. Not all rich people are great people but not all poor people are great either. Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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First to Jamie, "James" put everything out there, plus from the meeting this morning there were things stated in the letter that tend to lead that the mill will not close (for good). But who really knows...it might or it might not. We are still getting orders...so our Mill must be doing something right! To Frustrated, even though your are competition, I'm sorry you are struggling. I say that as not from a business perspective,but as a Georgetown resident to another. I'm not wanting to argue with anyone, I'm just stating that us union guys felt that a few things do not seem right. For example, Why keep some company guys? why not get rid of a few people in safety? Why hit the union first? I haven't heard anything about some company guys being let go. The mill ran fine with two or three safety guys..why five or more? Again, I'm not wanting to argue..if you feel that its coming across like that...it is not meant to be...there are questions that should be addressed, but it seems no one wants to answer. Personally, I did not vote from a greedy stand point. I voted to watch my back. From working in that mill for years, there have been numerous occassions were something wasn't right. Do I trust the company? No. Mittal isn't one of the richest men in the world for no reason. God Bless to those who have lost their jobs! Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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FIGHTING BACK AND FORTH IS NOT GOING TO REOPEN OR CHANGE ANYTHING. WE ALL HAVE TO THANK GOD FOR WHAT WE HAVE AND TRY MAKE A NEW START IN LIFE TURN THE PAGE. My husband worked 14 years constrution and was laid off he cant find work and cant draw unemployment like so many others we have three kids and bills kike everyone else. guess what i am trying to say is it will akk work out be positive Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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I hope Union and company find a way to keep the plant open or reopen it. Yes the plant can be made to look more presentable. With time and profit it will or would have. I lost my job from the plant in December. I am not from SC. However, I think the people of Georgetown are wonderful people and I still hope I can make this area my home. I wish the best to people of the plant and the fine people of Georgetown. Posted by Barry Schrader (bschrad@attglobal.net) on 5/13/2009 |
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In response to.. BE GREATFULL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE. Trust me we are, I understand that is better then nothing, we have been laid off for months. What you seem to have missed in earlier posts is a man telling me that we could just live off the amount as if nothing has changed. I was trying to convey that it wasn't fact, we have been trying to live off it for months already and already cutback everything we could. The 80% amount stated in the paper is misleading, they do not pay them an enormous amount that some people tend to believe. We are not out to "get" more, we just want to survive. I know we personally don't have a huge fancy house or alot of "things". We live on a budget like everyone else. By stating what it won't cover I was trying to explain to the man that everything wasn't just going to be fine because yes it might cover my mortgage, since ours unlike others is low, but things like food and other basic necessities won't be. What good is paying the mortgage if we can't feed the kids? Or if we turn it the other way and buy the food and such...yet have them homeless and living on the street? We don't want to take more from the mill, my husband genuinely loved his job just wants to go back to work and keep us from losing our home, feed our kids, and keep me in the medicine that I cannot live without. TRUST ME WE WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THE CUT JUST TO KEEP THE JOB BUT WE LIKE ALOT OF OTHERS WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE MEETINGS OR THE VOTE. IT WAS NOT A FAIR VOTE AND IN MY OPINION SHOULD BE TOSSED OUT! Posted by Amber on 5/13/2009 |
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To the people who are glad the mill is closed.... First, we are talking about 242 people who now will not be able to provide for their family if they can't find other work. Think about that. Some people want the mill gone. You want to know what sort of economic impact that will have? 242 workers making (estimate)40,000/year = $9,680,000 going into the local economy. That money will no longer go into the local economy. The steel mill paying utilities and license fees to the city of over $40,000 per month (according to a news article)gone. All of their company vehicles that buy local gasoline not buying it anymore. That will hurt the locally owned stations. Napa, Autozone, Advance Auto, National Welders, and a lot of other local business will lose a good size of their business. That almost 10 million that will not go to the local restaurants, dry cleaners, retail stores, and other service providers. These businesses will now be required to eliminate positions due to decreased sales. 10 million in less salaries means less state income tax and sales tax taken in. The rest of other taxpayers will eventually have to make that up. The impacts are more far reaching than you can comprehend. The mills were here before you moved here. Why didn't you just go somewhere else? Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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Have any of you looked at Charleston closely? Yes they have the pretty little tourist area but what is the area surrounded by? Industry. Every town must have industry to survive it is as vital as your heart is to your body's survival. We cannot continue to lose industry in the country especially steel. Without industry you can not be a "superpower" since you cannot back up the title. If we went to war, god forbid, say with China or an ally of theirs...we would be doomed. Our food, ammunition, even boots and uniforms all come from there so we wouldn't stand a chance. Think about that when you think the steel mill and other industry is an eyesore. Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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DONALD MAYO...A BEAUTIFUL HARBOR? YOU REALIZE THAT WOULD MEAN ALSO GETTING RID OF GEO, I.P, AND THE COMMERCIAL PORT. WHAT JOBS WOULD YOU HAVE FOR THE PEOPLE TO WORK WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE TO FEW JOBS? THE MILL IS A DIFFERENT PLACE FROM WHEN YOU MUST HAVE BEEN THERE...THOUGH NONE OF US REMEMBER YOU.WITH THE DRI PLANT NO LONGER IN OPERATION THERE IS LESS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND TOWN SINCE THERE IS NO LONGER ALL THAT DUST EMISSIONS. AND THE SIGHT OF THE MILL HAS CHANGED SINCE MOST OF THE DRI WAS CUT DOWN AND MELTED. AS FAR AS MILL OPERATION THAT CHANGED AS WELL..WE WERE RUN IN A MORE OF A NUCOR STYLE PLANT. I LOVED MY JOB AND WANT IT BACK. EVEN A HARBOR WONT BRING IN TOURISTS..YOU HAVE BEEN AWAY TOO LONG. WORRY ABOUT YOUR OWN TOWN IN TEXAS. Posted by MARK MERCER on 5/13/2009 |
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My heart and prayers go out to everyone affected here! May God somehow turn this scary reality, into something positive in the long run! Just hang in there yall! He will not let us down! Posted by Prayin for G-town on 5/13/2009 |
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Hey Mr. Steel worker tired of teh BS. I feel sorry for you and your friends who think like you. From an outsiders view looking in, you don't make any sense. And keep in mind...I BENEFIT from your closing. I compete with your employer. Your closing helps me...from a business standpoint. But I do feel sorry for the people who are struggling and won't have an income. Mine is down as well...and it hurts. But I know I am ready to give up more if it means I keep my job. I think you made a comment that who is to say if you voted yes, that AM wouldn't close it down anyway...SO WHAT? It sounds like some union members want to stick to some pig headed rules and where soed that get them? You can't keep trying to get something out of the company and expect the company to survive. (No different than you can't expect to get something out of the country and expect the country to survive) The mentality in this country that the "rich" guy, big company, or government has bottomless pockets that can afford anything for 'the people' needs to stop or we're all going to end up having less and less in the long run. Anybody who promises to keep 'getting' something for you is NOT looking out for you but they are looking out for themselves...think union, think Obama. All they want is your vote or your dues. They want something from YOU. Yes, they will give you something in turn, but it will not last. May last for a few years. But in the end it chokes the source of the handouts...the company or the government (who gets their money from tax paying indiduals and companies). This is NOT a sustaining way of living life. Look at the Europeans, the Canadians...and every other socialist country ou there. Great places to visit, but wouldn't want to live there. Their governments tax everything and try to hand it out to the working masses (TO GET THEIR VOTES!). In the end it chokes the source of the money...again the people who pay taxes and the companies and it all starts to bring the whole place down. So good for you for 'showing' those company guys whose boss. You really taught them a lesson didn't you...? Posted by Frustrated with how many people think (or don't think) on 5/13/2009 |
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Steel Worker...Tired of the BS - According to who? Name your sources for the "facts" you have written. I was in the meeting and have the paperwork as well. Who's to say they would not have? By sending the message of not wanting to concede, we made it clear to them what the next step was. Better to have less of something than all of nothing. Also, when you resort to name calling, you pretty much have no argument. Posted by Jamie Sanderson on 5/13/2009 |
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I WORKED AT THE STEEL MILL FOR TEN YEARS. I WAS,AT ONE TIME, A UINION SHOP STEWARD. THERE WERE TO MANY FRIVILOUS AND PETTY GRIEVENCIES FILED. THIS MILL WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AS IT WAS. TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY. THE PLACE IS A CANCER ON GEORGETOWN. THE AREA COULD BE USED TO BRING IN A BEAUTIFUL HARBOR. TOURIST MONEY IS EASIER TO MAKE THAN SWEATING IN THE MILL. Posted by DONALD MAYO-TOMBALL,TX on 5/13/2009 |
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some pay each week is better than none. u talk about what the money want cover and what bills you have. join everyone else in this town. just remember when you dont have anything a little something is always better than none. some people need to stop thinking of always what they can get and be greatful to have anything there are some peopole out here that dont have the option to take a pay cut they dont have work and cant find it and its not that they dont want to.BE GREATFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE. Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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Its amazing to sit here and read some of these comments. Especially comments from lil Jamie Sanderson (wannabe) and "daughter of Steel Mill Worker". There is no shame in voting NO to the concession. Little advice, learn all your facts before you open your mouth. The company not only wanted money, health insurance, etc, they didn't want to give it back to us. In other words it wasn't going to be a temporary situation. It would last till the next contract came out which doesn't appear until 2012...daughter of a steel mill work..tisk tisk..thought you would have some common sense before you voiced your opinion, again learn all your facts!!! What people tend to forget is most of the union employees remember what happened last time something like this occurred with the last company. They asked for certain things just to keep us open....FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS...I mean really who is to say "if we, the union members agreed to this deal"..that next week they wouldn't shut us down. Some "shady" deals going on!!! Posted by Steel Worker...Tired of the BS on 5/13/2009 |
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Some here seem to underestimate the impact of losing the steel mill. You are obviously naive and lack the ability to perform a basic economic analysis of the steel mill's overall impact on Georgetown. With the steel mill gone, everything changes. IP and the hospital remain. The steel mill closing might impact county and local government staff size and spending. Teachers will be laid off if money dries up and residents leave for greener pastures. Store sales will suffer and additional layoffs will occur. The steel mill may be an eyesore, imagine how the town will eventually look. Andrews has yet to recover after Oneita shutdown. Georgetown needs fresh faces and fresh ideas now. Posted by Wayne on 5/13/2009 |
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prayers go out to workers and their family's. Posted by wayne on 5/13/2009 |
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I have a better solution... Lets turn places like South Island, Hobcaw Barony and Debordieu into public access beaches then you might have a chance of making Georgetown a tourist mecca. Then all you snotty rich people can go find other places to live and not be bothered by the sight of industry in the town. Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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You must think we get paid an enormous amount. the 80% is not much at all. My husband has been there over 20 years so not all will get even as much as he will. Now we have it a little better then some..our mortgage is not extremely high... but then there are still electric, water, medical and prescription co-pays, car insurance, gas,clothing, and oh yeah we can't forget groceries to feed our 2 children as well as ourselves. Plus emergencies that pop up like say a water heater dies like ours did this week? The monthly amount barely even paid to fix the water heater. So there is no just easily living off it. Posted by Amber Mercer on 5/13/2009 |
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In a rebuttal to the previous comment of "what a laugh"...The Paper mill saved Georgetown from the Great Depression in 1936. The Steel Mill came along in 1969 and further added jobs and set Georgetown on a path to industrial success. When the Steel Mill shuts down for good, your economy will be hurt...but if people like you finally get their way and have IP shut down as well...there will be no economy for your town. Since its earliest beginnings, Georgetown has only thrived off the backs of its manual laborers. It is not up for debate, but he who argues for his limitations gets to keep them...so I hope you get to find out how well your town can stay afloat without an industrial backing. Posted by The Carver on 5/13/2009 |
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James Sanderson is not the problem. Neither is the union. The problem is a combination of bad management by the mill, the under trained or lazy workers (sorry guys but we all know there are some and who they are), and yes probably to some extent union demands. BUT the main problem is corporate greed moving all jobs overseas and the government for allowing it. An American company should be required to make its product IN America USING American products whenever possible and the government needs to make this happen as well as stop imports from other countries of anything that can OR could be made in this country. Without industry the whole country is doomed to fall and I have no desire to learn Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic... or whatever language the country that attacks us first speaks. Posted by Amber Mercer on 5/13/2009 |
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Amber... I've been saying for years that mill workers should be looking for other employment. Read my earlier comments. If the newspaper is correct, your husband will get 80% of his salary for the next 2 years plus health care for 30 months. So, I think you have time to search and find. As for other posters worrying about Georgetown folding because the steel mill is closing... what a laugh. Give this town a year or so after the mill closes and everything will be much better than today. Posted by on 5/13/2009 |
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I have lived my whole life here, 50 years... How about YOU quit your job and move.. then I can have it? Posted by Mark Mercer Sr on 5/12/2009 |
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I do not know who the man that posted this comment ,"For many years... Union leader at Georgetown Steel = Sanderson. It is my belief that a non-Union mill would have survived. Many of those fired will probably just live on the 80% pay for a year or so. But, I'm saying again steel workers, go find a job and if it means moving from the area, move. Further, think many times before joining another union.", is but he obviously is an idiot and does not realize what is going in the the world. Do you think we wouldn't just get another job if there were any to be gotten? And move to find work? How are we to move to another area with no money to get there even if there were any jobs there...which there are not. This whole country is suffering from lack of jobs due to all our manufacturing being sent overseas and a government that does nothing to stop it from happening. Posted by Amber Mercer "Steel Mill Wife" on 5/12/2009 |
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I agree with Mr. Mercer 100%. We have seen what happens to this town without the Steel Mill, and I think most business owners will agree that it is not something they wish to see again...especially in these economically challenging times. Remember that many of the employees of these industries are from out of town, and they spend their money in this town while they are present. Remove the people...remove the money...and you have no business. No tourists will trek to Georgetown for the cheaply made products and the overpriced seafood when their REAL destination is Charleston or Myrtle Beach. Posted by The Carver on 5/12/2009 |
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Jamie... as usual... ZZZZZZZZZZ Posted by on 5/12/2009 |
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We are a small town between Charleston and Myrtle Beach...a spot to fill up on gas while going from one to the other..and that's all we will ever be. No matter what you do will never have a thriving tourism trade, we will never be able to compete with them. Without industry we are doomed. Posted by Mark Mercer Sr on 5/12/2009 |
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You want the mill gone, the workers are greedy? You obviously don't know what it takes to make the steel you use daily. My husband risks his life every time he walks into that mill. And was almost killed several times due to explosions. So my challenge to you for 1 week do not touch or use anything steel at all or that was made using steel. That means no cars, bikes, appliances, tools, or cooking pans. Stay off all bridges, out of stores (the framing in buildings uses steel more often then not), your computer is off limits too. You can't even get dressed, eat, drink from a faucet or bottled water, or get your mail. So basicly you have to stand naked outside for a week drinking only water from streams or what grows on the ground wild. Think you can do it? Posted by Amber Mercer on 5/12/2009 |
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To Ms. Lois Brady...that "eyesore" which you refer to, along with the paper mill (which equally gets negative attention), keeps the town of Georgetown alive. Georgetown has nothing to offer tourists other than bars and a lack of hospitality. Your attitude is the exact problem in Georgetown. I hope that you get exactly what you want...a beautiful entrance to nowhere. Posted by The Carver on 5/12/2009 |
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A non-union mill would have been gone a long time ago. How about find out who brought ISG to table and, in the end, who stood up to have it bought by ISG. Posted by Jamie Sanderson on 5/12/2009 |
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To the man that said look what greed got us, you shouldn't talk about things you don't know about. Yes they did ask for concessions but the concessions they asked for were outrageous and unfair and needed to be discussed more before this happened. As to the vote, I know alot of the employees who were willing to accept just to keep working, but I also know alot that were not even informed of the meetings or vote so I feel it was very unfair as not every employee was involved. I know we found out after the fact. And Mrs.Brady...yes the mill is a bit of an eyesore but it provided jobs, money to the town, and many more benefits then negatives. Will your park or whatever employee us, pay our mortgages, feed our children, and provide us with medical insurance? Because that is what this town needs more then anything. Tourists may find your park pretty but there won't be any tourists as they will be in the same boat we are in..no jobs means no money, which means no travel, no travel means no tourists. Then you have a pretty little entrance but alot of families living under the bridge beca use that is where alot of us may end up now...my family included ...though I won't be with them because without the medical insurance the mill gives us to pay for my prescription I will die in a very short time. But you'll have your pretty little entrance so hope that makes you happy...you can explain ti to my children for me since I won't be able to. Posted by Steel Mill Wife on 5/12/2009 |
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For many years... Union leader at Georgetown Steel = Sanderson. It is my belief that a non-Union mill would have survived. Many of those fired will probably just live on the 80% pay for a year or so. But, I'm saying again steel workers, go find a job and if it means moving from the area, move. Further, think many times before joining another union. Posted by on 5/12/2009 |
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About listening to Sanderson. He was the one who recommended the union members vote YES. Again, people who nothing about the situation spewing rhetoric. Posted by Jamie Sanderson on 5/12/2009 |
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The union was not the downfall of the company, as people say. The people who are union who voted "no" to the concessions should kick themselves for thinking it was a hoax or a bluff. How about learn the facts before you people criticize the situation. There were at least 50 people who were willing to compromise. I am sorry it wasn't enough. Posted by Jamie Sanderson on 5/12/2009 |
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Time to clear all that eyesore away and make something beautiful for the entrance to Georgetown. Tourists will be impressed entering from the north and residents will be proud of a new, clean look to their community. Posted by Lois Brady on 5/12/2009 |
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How many times over the past several years have I said that the UNION will be the downfall of many companies in this country. Have you heard the news and read the papers lately? It's happening around the country now and right here in our own backyard. I must say I am one of many who would like to see the steel mill go away but only one of a few who will actually say it or type it. Good luck to all the employees who will be losing their jobs. I've been saying for more than a couple of years that you need to start looking for other employment. But it seems that most of you listened to Sanderson. Good luck to all of you and your families. Posted by on 5/12/2009 |
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Let this be a lesson as to what greed gets you. The company asked for concessions, and the Union voted no. I'm not privy to the actual vote (other than what I read), nor am I privy to the concessions asked for by the company. However, I'm sure those concessions were the same as what many other employees around the country are being asked to make. Anyone remember that ratification bonus? If that wasn't writing on the wall, no company concedes that much, and hands out that large of a bonus without knowing what its plans were all along. Posted by on 5/12/2009 |
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This may be the end. Mr. Mittal won't sell capacity to another steel company, but he would liquidate the assets and sell the land if he decided not to reopen the mill. For anyone that believes that the mill will reopen if Mr. Mittal closes it this time, I say you better think again. Posted by on 5/12/2009 |
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I hope all those that wanted the Steel Mill closed are happy. All I ask for is everyone to pray for all the Employees that lost their jobs and that things will be okay. That they will not lose everything they worked their whole lives for. A lot of people are losing their jobs, how are we to survive? I pray by God's well that things turn around and soon. Posted by Wife of a Steel Mill Employee on 5/12/2009 |
