MANA cuts hourly staff as talks with USW stall

Dec 07, 2012 | 06:49 PM | Michael Cowden

Tags  Max Aicher North American, MANA, David Cameron, USW Local 1005, Rolf Gerstenberger, steel, labor negotiations, U.S. Steel Stelco

CHICAGO — Max Aicher North America Inc. (MANA) has laid off 30 hourly employees and hasn’t restarted its bar mill in Hamilton, Ontario, as expected, as labor talks between the company and the United Steelworkers union appear to have stalled.

MANA chief financial officer David Cameron told AMM Friday that the company laid off 30 workers in early November, leaving only 13 hourly workers on the job at present. Many of the workers who were laid off had been recalled in April to perform maintenance and to salvage scrap to bring revenue for the facility, he said.
The November layoffs came not only because of a lack of work but also because MANA didn’t have a “competitive” new labor contract, Cameron said. “Currently, we’re not producing anything,” he said. “It would be better for all stakeholders that are involved in Max Aicher North America that we get back into business as soon as possible.” ....