Another Niagara plant silenced

The Energex Tube plant in Welland is being idled in May — and 160 people who work there will be laid off indefinitely. This is yet another huge economic blow to Welland, and the entire Niagara region.

The news of an indefinite layoff came Monday afternoon — and the workers at Energex are still in shock.

Wayne Thomson is an Energex worker: “It’s very disheartening. There are people with mortgages. Families with kids in school. Kids in sports.”

The layoff affects 126 union and 38 salaried employees. Union President Rick Alakas blames the South Koreans for dumping pipe into Canada: “They flooded North America with cheap Korean pipe. And unfortunately the pipe they’re selling it for has made it difficult for us to be competitive and to be able to sell that pipe as well.”

Even though this is a layoff, it’s still a huge blow to Welland. The workers have no idea when — or even if — the plant will resume production. And Welland’s already lost thousands of manufacturing jobs. Just a few years ago, Energex employed 350 people. Nearly 100 were laid off in 2012. And now this.

There’s a trade hearing ruling on energy pipe dumping expected in July. Energex is hoping it goes against Korea, in favour of Canada.

Rick says: “But that’s still quite a ways out. So it’s still concerning for us. It’s been a difficult day and a half.”

They have eight weeks of work left before the plant is idled.

Wayne says: “It’s difficult. It makes it very difficult for everyone here.”

What’s really infuriating these workers is that the Canadian oil and gas industry is doing well. And still Energex can’t sell its pipe.

Rick says: “I don’t understand where the Canadian or American governments are on this issue — as we continue to lose jobs to offshore companies dumping into North America.”