Trump Promised to Protect Steel. Layoffs Are Coming Instead.

[DonViejo]

By ANA SWANSON DEC. 22, 2017

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — At this sprawling steel mill on the outskirts of Philadelphia, the workers have one number in mind. Not how many tons of steel roll off the line, or how many hours they work, but where they fall on the plant’s seniority list.

In September, ArcelorMittal, which owns the mill, announced that it would lay off 150 of the plant’s 207 workers next year. While the cuts will start with the most junior employees, they will go so deep that even workers with decades of experience will be cast out.

-snip-

The layoffs have stunned these steelworkers who, just a year ago, greeted President Trump’s election as a new dawn for their industry. Mr. Trump pledged to build roads and bridges, strengthen “Buy America” provisions, protect factories from unfair imports and revive industry, especially steel. But after a year in office, Mr. Trump has not enacted these policies. And when it comes to steel, his failure to follow through on a promise has actually done more harm than good.

Foreign steel makers have rushed to get their product into the United States before tariffs start. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, which tracks shipments, steel imports were 19.4 percent higher in the first 10 months of 2017 than in the same period last year.

That surge of imports has hurt American steel makers, which were already struggling against a glut of cheap Chinese steel. When ArcelorMittal announced the layoffs in Conshohocken, it blamed those imports, as well as low demand for steel for bridges and military equipment.

more
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/business/economy/trump-steel-industry-layoffs.html

or here:

‘Hurting us more than he knows’: Steelworkers feel forgotten by Trump after layoffs announced
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/12/hurting-us-more-than-he-knows-steelworkers-feel-forgotten-by-trump-after-layoffs-announced/

[underpants]

1. Yeah but AT&T Sinclair and Comcast are giving bonuses

[MurrayDelph]

6. bonuses

they had already agreed to beforehand.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Like "It" Cares

You got suckered boys! How's that MAGA working out for you schmucks?

[MineralMan]

3. Guys: Trump Lies. Trump Always Lies.

You should have known better and voted for Hillary. Too bad.

[hatrack]

4. Too bad, so sad - and you voted for Shitstain . . . .

And maybe next time you'll pay attention to the news, rather than watching fucking Duck Dynasty reruns.

[Vinca]

5. The coal miners aren't doing much better. After repealing safetly regulations, their

death rate has doubled. Now Don is after the air quality regulation so they can look forward to black lung disease.

[Roland99]

7. And the M$M needs to hound him every single day about his job saving claims!

Carrier, coal, steel, etc.

[eleny]

8. Racism, misogyny - gifts that keep on taking

..... .....

[Takket]

9. and i'm willing to bet almost all of those 150 would vote for him again

the lack of tariffs will be blamed on "obstructionism' from the MINORITY democrats in BOTH houses of congress.

[0rganism]

10. congratulations PA voters, this is your reward

useful idiots receiving the well-earned fruits of their decision, bummer that they pulled the rest of the nation down with them
?w=640

[Ilsa]

11. Infrastructure is low on Donnie Two Scoops' priorities list. nt