No Trump-related layoffs at ASW
Tim Clutterbuck isn’t planning to lay off any of the 125 employees at ASW Steel — in fact, the executive vice-president is looking for ways to expand at the steel company.
“We cut back to three days a week, and I’m trying to get us back to five or at least four days a week,” he said.
Clutterbuck said one of the real positives is a substantial order that came in for the Bruce Power Nuclear Generating Station refurbishment. There are other short-term deals that could lead to long-term opportunities for the Welland plant, he said.
ASW, like other similar companies in Niagara, is dealing with the impact of a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium imposed May 31 by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump cited national security concerns as a reason for the tariffs.
“It is entirely inappropriate to view any trade with Canada as a national security threat to the United States,” Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey said in a release.
“These unilateral tariffs, imposed under a false pretext of safeguarding U.S. national security, are inconsistent with the United States’ NAFTA and World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. These tariffs will harm industry and workers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, disrupting linked supply chains that have made North American steel and aluminum more competitive around the world,” he said.
Badawey has been working with Clutterbuck and others in the industry to ensure no jobs are lost, and that it stays on the radar when it comes to Ottawa’s dealings with Washington.
Clutterbuck was recently in the nation’s capital, where he met with Badawey, who had arranged for meetings with federal ministers and support staff.
“There were meetings to discuss the damaging impacts that U.S. trade tariffs will have on business. It gave me a forum to share our concerns over the trade situation with the U.S.,”
Clutterbuck said.
He was also there to support the Prime Minister’s Office countermeasures to Trump’s tariffs, which includes a buy-Canadian initiative.
“There’s been some interest from places we haven’t seen since 2011 and that’s a very good thing,” he said.
Badawey said additional partners that were part of the talks included Welded Tube and the IMT Group, owners of PC Drop Forge in Port Colborne and Welland Forge — all of whom risked closure and layoffs of more than 1,000 employees combined, as well as retired workers and pensioners, specifically those from Stelco and Dofasco.
He said a $2-billion commitment from the Canadian government to defend and protect Canadians in the steel, aluminum and manufacturing business and a collaborative effort with other MPs contributed to keeping those jobs from being lost.
“We are being proactive and constructive, for our national steel industry, and for local industry in Niagara. We’re protecting producers from unfair, unacceptable trade practices, we’re working directly with stakeholders, and we’re supporting innovation and diversification in steel and steel-related industries to enhance a sustainable environment and strengthen our nations’ global trade performance,” the MP said.
“Simply put, we will not back down. We will always protect Canadian workers and Canadian interests,” Badawey said.