Stelco negotiations still on the table, Joly says amid layoffs - BERITAJA

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said she is consenting to discuss if Stelco wants to travel backmost to the array aft the institution announced layoffs of up to 500 workers.

At an unrelated announcement Thursday successful Peterborough, Ont., Joly said she is still reviewing a missive from the company that was sent successful consequence to her ain letter, dated Oct. 5, successful which she gave Stelco 5 days to respond to an ultimatum.

Joly said the national authorities would beryllium utilizing the “full unit of the law” if jobs are not preserved.

A transcript of the missive from Stelco, dated Oct. 9, was obtained by BERITAJA. The letter, written by Stelco’s president, Paul Simon, elaborate the consequences that U.S. tariffs person had connected the company.

The Ontario-based alloy shaper announced past period that unit from U.S. tariffs forced it to ore alloy accumulation astatine its Lake Erie Works works successful Haldimand, and halt accumulation astatine its works successful Hamilton. Some labor would beryllium offered transfers, but galore would beryllium retired of work.

“Our early September meetings pinch respective elder authorities officials, including representatives from your office, led Stelco to judge that the authorities understood the marketplace realities confronting Stelco’s Hamilton Works finishing lines,” the missive said.

It besides said that the government’s practice that Stelco’s planned layoffs origin it to breach its undertakings is “false.”

“The CEO has been clear, he has been advocating for the imposition of U.S. tariffs connected alloy and alloy makers present successful Canada,” Joly said Thursday.

She said her offices are consenting to proceed conversations pinch Stelco, but reiterated her position from the time anterior that financial penalties aliases a forced waste of assets could beryllium imposed if the institution continues to laic disconnected workers.

Approximately 90 workers received notices past week, and the first layoffs took effect Sunday, the president of United Steelworkers section 1005 antecedently told BERITAJA.

The remainder of the layoffs are expected to rotation retired complete the people of 3 weeks.

“We’ve hired the champion lawyers successful Canada to thief america to woody pinch that, and we will conflict to support the jobs successful Hamilton,” Joly said.

She said the authorities is consenting to return the matter to the courts, but did not opportunity erstwhile that process would begin.

– With files from BERITAJA’ Ariel Rabinovitch