Union workers say Stelco has begun laying off employees with little notice

There is new information regarding jobs at Hamilton’s Stelco, as the CEO of its parent company Cleveland-Cliffs says hundreds of workers facing temporary layoffs will be recalled if Canada and the U.S. reach a trade deal on steel.

Meanwhile, Stelco workers have been laid off this week, and they say there was near zero notice.

United Steelworkers Union president Ron Wells says the first round of Stelco layoffs has begun.

“Some members got some yesterday, members will be getting them today, tomorrow morning after their Thursday night shift, yet tomorrow and Saturday,” said Wells.

READ MORE: Union calls Stelco layoff rationale ‘disingenuous and contradictory’

He says the rest of the layoffs will happen over the next three weeks, and that workers are being laid off without notice.

“But getting told on their last shift, that ‘don’t come in for your shift next week’,” said Wells.

Jordan Williams, says he was given his layoff papers Wednesday, and was told not to return to work after the Thanksgiving long weekend.

Williams began working as a utility tech for Stelco in 2022.

He’s a father to two young children and has a family to support at home.

WATCH MORE: Carney vows to go after Cleveland-Cliffs following layoffs at Stelco

While he received an email warning him about possible layoffs, he says losing his job came as a shock.

“I found out yesterday — I received my layoff notice, obviously I was shocked — I went through the plant, said goodbye to everybody, heartbroken,” said Williams. “I have two young children, so obviously it’s going to be affecting me personally as well as them.”

Wells says that response from workers has been filled with emotion, one emotion in particular.

“There’s concern, obviously, but the overriding one is anger,” said Wells. “We felt we’ve been misled. Cleveland-Cliffs came here in 2024 when they purchased Stelco. They made commitments to us and to the federal government to maintain the same number of bargain unit positions for 5 years.”

He says laid off workers will receive some support.

WATCH MORE: Uncertainty and disappointment as Stelco workers await layoff list

“They will be entitled to EI (Employment Insurance), there’s sub payment — we have a sub fund that we negotiated with the employer, and that’s all they’re entitled to,” said Wells.

“Oh, this is devastating,” said Williams. “The impacts, obviously, financially. I’m grateful and fortunate to be here in Canada, where we have EI, but that’s not enough.”

While Stelco points to tariffs, some workers believe that politics are also at play.

“I believe this is a political game for the US right now, in regards to the tariffs, and leverage for Stelco and its employees in this dirty game,” said Williams.

The head of Stelco’s U.S.-based parent company says hundreds of southern Ontario steelworkers facing layoffs will be recalled if a trade deal on steel is reached between Canada and the U.S.

READ MORE: Ontario, Canadian governments investing over $200K to protect Hamilton steel workers

Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves says the Canadian Market is too small to support galvanized steel production from both Stelco and ArcelorMittal Dofasco, along with imports.

He says he’s spent more than a year and a half pushing Ottawa for stronger protections against foreign steel imports, arguing measures adopted so far have not gone far enough to protect galvanized steel producers.

“It’s a temporary layoff,” Goncalves said. “I do believe that one day we’re going to have a trade deal, I just don’t know when. Once this trade deal is reached and we’re back and able to produce and sell galvanized steel, we will bring back these people.”

CHCH News reached out to Cleveland-Cliffs and Stelco for comment but received no response.

WATCH MORE: Newsmakers: Stelco layoffs send shockwaves across Hamilton’s steel sector