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Anyone experiencing Bleak future for steel workers/bp refineries ?

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Mystery Meat

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Hello all

im usually heavy into golf but I thought I would try a thread for anyone concerned about their future in the steel business's / oil~refinery etc. With lower taxation on foreign steel/ right to work state laws/ outdated equipment / Union and company squabbles . The industry is in some bad times , currently 800 jobs at my facility have been lost since last fall. Either a layoff/ forced retirement /or termination for probationary employees .

This past Friday my current job (12 inch bar mill) ended . The last order ran at 4:25 pm and the mill is officially closed (1958 to 2015). Over 350 jobs have been eliminated due to foreign imports and union/company issues . We cleaned out our lockers that evening . Many are looking for jobs now, a vast number unemployed until openings in the company / while a select few like myself found a job transfer close by.

These are sad times ; a major contract negotiation is looming this fall. Which could be a real fight until the bitter end ( company and union ) . Strike and layoff talks are continuing with this upcoming contract talks . Bp is still on a massive strike with no end in sight

Anyone out there experiencing this or something similar ?
 
Wow, that's brutal. Sorry about your (and others) job.


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Sorry your brothers/sisters have lost so many jobs, but I'm glad you and some have found other work.
A few years ago, I went through a 69 day strike with Boeing.
While I think unions are sometimes a good thing, I also think that they can get as greedy as the companies.
There never seems to be a "work together" attitude between them. They both always preach the working together, but it almost never comes to fruition.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Wow, that's brutal. Sorry about your (and others) job.


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Yep . They gave us a 90 day notice after all negotiation talks failed . And than we all waited for the inevitable . A lot of good friends / a comfortable job/ history of the mill will be missed sorely . I was luckier than others but the comfort level just isn't there anymore with this industry . Anyone going thru this or entering this phase be prepared . Save / save save and keep on adding to your skill set . Be it education or continued on the job learning

it was very hard to say good bye to everyone , too difficult . Will leave this thread with this post
 
As a supplier to refineries, we've seen a drop off with new inquires but we're still catching up on open projects.
Since our welders aren't union (thankfully) we don't do a ton of work at union plants.
 
There was just a massive debate here in Wisconsin, so let me ask, what's the problem with Right To Work legislation?
 
Sorry to hear, Meat. You pretty much summed up the downfall of the Pittsburgh steel industry. It really isn't reversible, unfortunately. Whatever agreement they may come to is only a stop gap till the inevitable happens. Hopefully your new thing will be permanent
 
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. It sucks. Numerous people will have numerous opinions about causes or what could fix it. But I am personally staying out of that debate (as much as I would like to give my take on it).

I wish you well.

~Rock
 
Sorry to hear Meat, hopefully new job doesn't go thru the same.
 
I went through a layoff a few years ago when Obama decided he didn't need a new helicopter. I feel for everyone that lost their job. Hopefully they can all find something without much delay.
 
There is a lot of blood in the water here in Texas due to the plunge in oil prices.
 
Sorry to hear about your mill closing Meat. I hate to see people out of work.


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I went through this when the steel mill I worked in closed back when they eliminated tariffs on Chinese steel. They had a program that some of the workers used to go to school to relearn a new trade that the HR department had to apply for. Something about job elimination due to foreign trade. They extended unemployment and paid for school for maybe 2 years? not quite sure on the details.

My current job I am still in the Steelworkers union and currently in a prolonged contract negotiation where the company wants to remove our pension so that sounds like a dispute in the making.
 
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