US Steel: Fairfield Fallout
German steel giant ThyssenKrupp announced Tuesday it may delay opening its massive steel plant under construction near Mobile. The $4.5 billion plant is currently scheduled to open for next spring. But ThyssenKrupp says its hemorrhaging money – more than one billion dollars this year – so the plant may have to wait. This comes after U.S. Steel announced it would indefinitely idle steelmaking operations at its plant in Fairfield, putting 1,700 jobs in limbo. WBHM’s Andrew Yeager attended a town hall meeting Tuesday and spoke to a number of workers who are anxious and confused, but optimism as well.
Jody Broadhead knows the date March 13th well. That’s when U.S. Steel laid him off. He’d been there less than three years, meaning he doesn’t qualify for what’s called subpay, a portion of salary which U.S. Steel continues to pay longtime workers. Not a happy situation for Broadhead, his wife and their three school-aged children.
“They can’t have any toys. And the food there ain’t as good as it was. No steaks. [I’m] just staying around the house, trying not to burn any gas. Turn off the power so the light bill won’t be as high”
Broadhead’s not alone. He and several hundred coworkers packed the Fairfield Civic Center a the town hall meeting, which was sponsored by Democratic Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis. Many of the steelworkers complain they’re not getting enough information on unemployment benefits. Davis agrees.
“This is the first time in their lives they’ve been unemployed or at least in 99% of these cases, first time they’ve been unemployed. And I want to let them know there are things out there that can help them and resources that can help them”
But it’s not just the issue of benefits. Pipe cutter Mark Bentley says rumors swirl about the plant. How long will it be idled? Will the plant be shut down? Who specifically will be affected?
“If they could sit and tell us we’re gonna shut down for two months, people could deal with that a lot better. But for them to say, ‘We don’t know.’ Well, somebody knows.”
U.S. Steel isn’t offering specifics. In a written statement, a spokeswoman says the total number of layoffs is still being determined. She declined to speculate on when steelmaking operations will resume at the Fairfield Works.
And the pain isn’t just being felt in Alabama. Around the country, Steel companies are laying off workers and idling plants. University of Maryland economist Peter Morici blames low demand for steel. He says demand will return, but…
“Unless we get a rapid expansion and unless we do something about all the import competition in places like automobiles and construction steel and so forth. It’s going to be more difficult for American mills to maintain their market share.”
Back in Fairfield, workers at the town hall meeting raised those larger trade issues. But workers and the union leadership remain optimistic about their situation. One union official says conversations have been amicable with U.S. Steel management. Steel worker Randy Ellenburg takes it all in stride, as he chats with union members outside the civic center. He’s in new territory, having been laid off for the first time in his life two weeks ago. So what’s that been like?
“Doing stuff around the house that I’ve put off for about five years. Finally taking time to do that stuff that needed to be done.”
“There is a bit of a silver lining.”
“Kind of, yeah. It just doesn’t pay as good, that’s all.”
Ellenburg believes the plant will be up and running again. It’s just a matter of when.
Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’ wins top prize at Venice Film Festival
Jim Jarmusch's quietly humorous relationship triptych won the top prize on Saturday. The film about the relationships between siblings, and with their parents, stars Adam Driver, Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett.
ICE arrests at a Georgia Hyundai plant create new tension with South Korea
South Korea's foreign minister is considering a trip to the U.S. to meet with the Trump administration after hundreds of South Koreans were arrested in Georgia at an electric vehicle battery plant.
Davey Johnson, who won 2 World Series with Orioles, managed Mets to title, dies at 82
Davey Johnson, an All-Star second baseman who won the World Series twice with the Baltimore Orioles as a player and managed the New York Mets to the title in 1986, died Friday.
Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, dies at age 78
Dryden backstopped the NHL's most successful franchise to championships in six of his eight seasons in the league from 1970-71 to '78-79. He died after a fight with cancer.
As opposition to an Alabama medical waste treatment facility boils over, a mysterious Facebook page weighs in
Dozens of residents opposed to Harvest Med Waste Disposal’s site in Remlap packed the Blount County courthouse to voice their concerns. Online, a paid campaign supporting the facility has been active, though its backers have remained anonymous.
In April NPR profiled people who couldn’t get their HIV drugs. How are they faring now?
In Zambia, we met people who are HIV positive, couldn't get drugs to suppress the virus after U.S. aid cuts and were seeing symptoms. We checked in on them — and the man who's been their champion.