O/T - general election 2019

[CASPER-64-FRANK]

Thatcher didn’t close down coal and steel. High wages closed them.

Thatcher just happened be the one with enough balls to do something about it.

We're the employee's at Private company Dunford Hadfields on high wages then ?

New technology at steelworks, cheap imports didn't help matters.

[Exiletyke]

We're the employee's at Private company Dunford Hadfields on high wages then ?

New technology at steelworks, cheap imports didn't help matters.

Don't think that's true grist BUT if high wages is the criteria how come Parliament is still going [just on the cusp of top 5%]?

[WanChaiMiller]

Thatcher didn’t close down coal and steel. High wages closed them.

Thatcher just happened be the one with enough balls to do something about it.

I get all that. It was her that did it though.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Don't think that's true grist BUT if high wages is the criteria how come Parliament is still going [just on the cusp of top 5%]?

And high energy costs didn’t help

[Exiletyke]

And high energy costs didn’t help

And of course our energy costs are now much more acceptable aren't they with many energy company's profits residing in foreign banks with taxes on profits benefitting foreign governments

Aye much better arrangement

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

And of course our energy costs are now much more acceptable

No they are not, but cheap imports are cheap because they are cheaper to make at the country of origin.

As for technology in steel works that was introduced far too late and investment was held back by high wage demands.

If you see which steel companies survived then they are all niche market companies making small tonnages of specialist items with lower staff numbers, not large quantities of clog iron with a big workforce

Hadfields was mentioned earlier, a company that was just about holding its head above water until the strike came at British Steel. Picket action at the privately owned Hadfields put them into loss and it was downhill from there. The site is now the Meadowhell shopping centre.

[Exiletyke]

No they are not, but cheap imports are cheap because they are cheaper to make at the country of origin.

As for technology in steel works that was introduced far too late and investment was held back by high wage demands.

If you see which steel companies survived then they are all niche market companies making small tonnages of specialist items with lower staff numbers, not large quantities of clog iron with a big workforce

Hadfields was mentioned earlier, a company that was just about holding its head above water until the strike came at British Steel. Picket action at the privately owned Hadfields put them into loss and it was downhill from there. The site is now the Meadowhell shopping centre.

You seem to have skipped lightly over the energy costs

[CASPER-64-FRANK]

No they are not, but cheap imports are cheap because they are cheaper to make at the country of origin.

As for technology in steel works that was introduced far too late and investment was held back by high wage demands.

If you see which steel companies survived then they are all niche market companies making small tonnages of specialist items with lower staff numbers, not large quantities of clog iron with a big workforce

Hadfields was mentioned earlier, a company that was just about holding its head above water until the strike came at British Steel. Picket action at the privately owned Hadfields put them into loss and it was downhill from there. The site is now the Meadowhell shopping centre.

Hadfields was antiquated, took BSC orders in the Steel strike, later given compensation from GKN and BSC the Governments intention of closing it down. Imports from China and not cutting Business rates didn't help. To blame pickets at Hadfields for their demise is poor, the Steel Industry has been in decline for a long while.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

You seem to have skipped lightly over the energy costs

No, I was in agreement with your comment on energy costs

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

Hadfields was antiquated, took BSC orders in the Steel strike, later given compensation from GKN and BSC the Governments intention of closing it down. Imports from China and not cutting Business rates didn't help. To blame pickets at Hadfields for their demise is poor.

No, my grandfather worked there. To his dying day he maintained that the picketing cost him his job. Bearing in mind that whilst the picketing was on Hadfields workers were put on basic rate, no chance of any production bonuses.

Working men killing the jobs of other working men, now that is poor.