The Stel Salaried Pensioners Organization wishes to
thank The Hamilton Spectator for permission to post the following article by
Reporter Steve Arnold published in the September 12, 2005 edition
By Steve Arnold
The Hamilton Spectator
(Sep 12, 2005)
A new study warns Canada's steel
industry faces the loss of more than half of its most skilled workers over the
next decade and lacks the training programs needed to replace them.
The Human Resources Study of the Broader
Canadian Steel Industry says current high prices may tempt companies to avoid
making the investments in people and equipment that will be crucial to
weathering the next downturn in the business cycle.
"The key difference, however, is
that having postponed dealing with critical human resources issues, the
industry would find its work force correspondingly older, the urgency of the
demographic and other issues correspondingly greater, and the time and capacity
of the industry to address these, correspondingly less."
Prepared for the Canadian Steel Trades
Employment Congress, the study calls for the immediate launch of a work force
development plan for the industry.
This would unite the efforts of
employers, unions, government and the community college system.
"The study is going to be a very
useful manual for how we move ahead on this problem," said Cheryl Jensen,
executive dean at the faculty of engineering technology at Mohawk College and a
member of the study's steering committee.
"This is one of the most complete
studies I've ever seen on this problem."
Among the study's findings:
* Fifty-five per cent of the steel work
force is over 45 years old and as they retire companies will lose knowledge and
skills the industry is ill-prepared to replace.
* The steel industry employs about
57,000 people directly and supports another 115,000 jobs in secondary
industries.
* While only about half the workers who
retire will be replaced, an estimated 2,300 new operations and trades workers
will have to be hired over the next five years -- between two and three times
recent recruitment rates.
* Technological change will put a
premium on work force agility.
That's a challenge because waves of
layoffs have culled the labour force to the oldest workers, usually with the
lowest education and computer skills.
"This industry is critical to the
Canadian economy and we have to act now to ensure there will be a strong and
vibrant industry in Canada in the future," said Ken Neumann, Canadian
director of the United Steelworkers of America and labour co-chairman of CSTEC.
Among the study's recommendations:
* Creation of a work force development
plan with management, union and government support.
* A Canada-wide apprenticeship program
modelled on the current joint effort by CSTEC, Mohawk College, Stelco, Dofasco
and the USWA.
* A publicity campaign promoting the
industry to students as a career choice.
sarnold@thespec.com
905-526-3496