The company is digging in on its plans to lay off as many as 500 workers at its Stelco operations as the government weighs legal options to protect workers.
Approximately 90 workers received notices last week, and the first layoffs took effect Sunday, the president of United Steelworkers local 1005 previously told Global News.
TORONTO — Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says the U.S.-based owner of Stelco must uphold job commitments it made when it purchased the Ontario-based steelmaker or risk being forced to sell its Canadian assets.
Joly said she is still reviewing a letter from the company that was sent in response to her own letter, dated Oct. 5, in which she gave Stelco five days to respond to an ultimatum.
The union representing steelworkers at the Stelco plant in Hamilton has confirmed layoffs are now underway
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is expected to speak Wednesday afternoon — her first public appearance since Stelco answered Ottawa's legal threat over layoffs of up to 500 workers.
"Are we simply going to wait until these effects trickle downstream further into the supply chain, and we're reading or hearing about more job losses?" said Flamborough-Glanbrook-Brant North MP Dan Muys
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles told reporters Tuesday that public ownership of Stelco is emerging as the only option to save roughly 350 jobs.
On Tuesday, NDP Leader Avi Lewis called on the federal government to nationalize Stelco
OTTAWA — Stelco Inc. says Canadian exports of cold-rolled and coated steel to the United States have plunged 58 per cent compared with pre-trade-war levels, while continued foreign imports put pressure on domestic producers.
