The month before Christmas, Tenaris Tubes in Sault Ste. Marie had laid off almost a hundred workers for a temporary shutdown.
It was to have been a layoff for a few weeks, but now it looks like it'll be longer. Those employees were never called back and now, Tenaris said Thursday that it will lay off another 95 workers at its seamless pipe mill in the Soo on February 4th.
It will also suspend plant operations for two weeks in March for regular annual maintenance.
"It continues to be a difficult time for our industry. We value our employees and we are working to minimize the impact and stay well positioned for an eventual turnaround. Tenaris plays an important role in Canada’s domestic manufacturing, and our commitment to supply and serve the industry remains strong." said Tenaris President Guillermo Moreno.
The union says this round of layoffs will bring the total to 218 workers let go since June of last year, roughly half of the work force.
It anticipates that these layoffs will likely last for all of 2019.
“The one thing our members are saying is that they’re upset that Tenaris, after 18 years, is now becoming an unreliable employer. As of no fault of Tenaris’, they’re trying everything they can to secure the Canadian market and to maintain our workforce, but unfortunately, a lot of these things are externally pressured.” said Cody Alexander, of United Steelworkers Local 9548.
Tenaris, which serves the oil and gas industry, says that sector remains challenged by imports from non-NAFTA countries, and by U.S. steel tariffs.
