U.S. Steel to lay off 3,500 employees

[BeatleBoot]

http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/12/01/daily19.html


U.S. Steel Corp. said late Tuesday it plans to idle its plants in Granite City, Ill.; Keewatin, Minn.; and at Great Lakes Works near Detroit.

A total of 3,500 employees will be affected.

The unions representing workers at these facilities have been notified of what the company said is a temporary idling and Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notices will be filed, U.S. Steel said in a release.

It has not been determined how long the temporary idling will last because it is dependent on market conditions, said Courtney Boone, a U.S. Steel spokeswoman.

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[lapfog_1]

1. If you aren't building cars or bridges or buildings...

you don't need steel.

[Uben]

2. I worked for U.S. Steel for 7 yrs

My experience is when they close a plant, it stays closed. I was laid off twice as a steelworker. Both plants were closed permanently.

[sufrommich]

3. Most likely that is exactly what will happen. 3500 people

out in the street or working for a fraction the wages and none of the benefits they made in the steel factories.

[Uben]

4. Fortunately, for me....

...that was not the case. I took a temporary job (10 months)with Peterbuilt making more money. When that played out, I was offered a job with a private engineering company making even better money! I stayed there for seven years before retiring.

Unfortunately, for most of my co-workers, they were doomed to the fate you just mentioned.

[sufrommich]

5. Good for you,Uben. I mean that seriously.

It sounds from your job history that you suffered through a lot of anxious moments,I'm glad you were able to recover.

[Uben]

6. I made out okay........

I retired at age 45 a multi-millionaire! God, what a strange twist of fate. Some inheritance, some investments, and some good choices. Life is good.

[BeatleBoot]

7. Peterbuilt

My Dad is a retired Teamster (pushing 90 years old now).

He has a saying that he would repeat from time to time:

"Son, old truckers never die, they just get a new Peterbuilt".

I think it may have been a bumper sticker back in the day.

Dumb story, but I find myself repeating that line in my head every now and then when I think of my Dad.