Overview
- On Friday, Nov. 13, Stelco announced it will recall 175 temporarily laid-off finishing workers at its Hamilton plant effective Dec. 1 and will pay them retroactively for lost wages.
- Ottawa had said the September layoffs violated binding five-year commitments tied to Cleveland‑Cliffs’ 2024 takeover and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued formal demands and warned of court action and a possible forced sale.
- Cleveland‑Cliffs has argued the cuts were driven by U.S. tariffs, weak Canadian demand and competition from imports, and said it reached enough customer agreements to make a restart viable.
- United Steelworkers Local 1005 staged rallies and credited government pressure for the reversal, while the company cautioned that full production will take several weeks to resume, leaving short-term uncertainty for workers.
- The recall eases the immediate jobs crisis but leaves broader enforcement questions open, including the Competition Bureau review and whether Ottawa will pursue legal remedies under the Investment Canada Act.