Evraz steelworkers worried about possible layoffs

The union representing Regina-based Evraz steelworkers is worried about the possibility of around 500 layoffs in the near future.

Mike Day, the president of United Steelworkers Local 5890, is concerned that many major projects across the country are outsourcing their steel from foreign mills.

A major example he pointed to was a TC Energy natural gas pipeline in northern Alberta, for which Evraz was unable to secure a contract.

TC Energy did not respond to a request for comment from 980 CJME on where it’ll be getting its materials.

Day said there aren’t any major projects on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

“(Evraz) is saying there is nothing on the books for 2021, and 2022 doesn’t look much better. There are little projects here and there, but to get up to the capacity we’re at right now … I don’t think we’ll ever get back to it,” he said Friday.

In an emailed statement, Patrick Waldron, the director of communications with Evraz, responded to the concerns of possible layoffs in the near future.

“I will decline to comment on any potential layoffs or potential future customer orders at this time, except to say we are always pursuing new business for our workers,” he wrote.

NDP responds

Ryan Meili, the leader of the Saskatchewan NDP, blamed the provincial government for not supporting local production.

“For every major project, they go out of province … power plants, schools, hospitals — every time,” he said.

While policy and influence around the importing and exporting of steel is mostly managed by the federal government, Meili still thinks the province has a role to play.

“If I were premier … we would make sure that any Crown corporations (and) any procurement we were doing would have that Saskatchewan-first model. That means whether it’s who we hire, what companies we work with or which products we use, we’re focused on using Saskatchewan products and people first,” he said.

Furthermore, he thinks there should be more effort spent on relations with both the federal government and other provinces to promote Saskatchewan steel.

“We would be steadily on the phone with the appropriate ministers and the prime minister to be pushing for Canadian steel in Canadian projects,” Meili said.

“Same thing with talking with (Alberta Premier Jason) Kenney. Scott Moe and Kenney are such good buddies, but we haven’t seen any actual effort from Moe to influence his friend and make sure we have Canadian steel in (the TC Energy pipeline) project.”

The loss of this project isn’t the first difficulty for workers at Evraz this year. As with everyone else, they dealt with the pandemic, but also with a cyberattack that caused temporary layoffs.