Ssi Steelworks At Redcar

[mrs_overall]

This is more of a rant than a reference to a specific media article.
Living in North Yorkshire on the border with Teesside, I am sick to the back teeth of this subject being talked about by all and sundry.
Fact: Corus sold this steelworks to Tata as it was making a loss year after year
Fact: Tata sold this steelworks to SSI as it was making a loss year after year
Fact: SSI have gone bust as this steelworks was making a loss year after year.
Yes it is sad that 1,700 people have lost their jobs but the Government has pledged £80 million to support these people. If my maths is correct, that is around £470,000 per worker. This is money supplied by you and me as taxpayers.
There are howls of outrage that the Government are not doing anything to save this steelworks. My argument is that it is a privately owned business so why should the Government step in? If my local corner shop went bust, would the shopkeeper expect the Government to step in? Why on earth should taxpayers money be wasted on throwing good after bad? Redcar Labour MP Anna Turley is shouting from the rooftops that this should happen.
Stories abound of how all the families will lose their homes and the kiddies will be sitting in the street with no food or shelter on Christmas day, while the evil Tories look on and laugh.
Is anyone with me on this one?
I will now go lie down in a darkened room with a stiff drink.

[bazwillrun]

"This is money supplied by you and me as taxpayers. "

yes...but id rather they used it on our own rather than throwing it to immigrants etc etc, asylum seekers etc etc overseas aid etc etc...you get my drift

[Svejk]

It's only £47,000 each, MrsO. ;-)

[mrs_overall]

Maths was never my strong point. I ran out of fingers and toes

[Gromit]

Out by a factor of 10. £47K not half a million.

If that £47K, doubtful the workers will see any of that in cash.

[Sycamore3House]

I also think it is sad that jobs are lost and I agree with you as if the works lost money for years it is not viable as a business in the present form and I do not think the government should subsidise it. Having said that did the workers not realise what was happening in their company and have formed a back up plan such as retraining in order to have something now the inevitable has happened.

[woofgang]

A pity that Mrs O cannot give herself best post for her OP I feel the same about grants to "the arts" and "sport" Nobody supports the things that i find entertaining, they sink or swim on their own.

[hc4361]

The governments over the years spent billions to keep British Leyland and its successors in Longbridge going. In the end the plant closed

[mikey4444]

Mrs O...with the greatest of respect, I am sorry you are sick to the back teeth by this subject, but think how much worse you would feel, if you and most of the working age men in your town, now faced years on the dole ?

Years on the dole in an area which is already an unemployment blackspot ?

[mrs_overall]

mikey, read my post and you will see that I said it is sad 1,700 have lost their jobs. Some years ago Mr O was made redundant so I know exactly what it feels like for the families.
That was not my point.
My point is that I am sick to the back teeth of everyone expecting the government to step in and waste tax payers money

[Retrochic]

Mrs O so they are getting average £47k per person for retraining - what fun! Training for what? There are no jobs to retrain for in the NE or very few. Maybe you would take a different view if you and your partner had a £100k mortgage around your necks on the back of a job that is no longer there.

[Retrochic]

Mrs O don't change your tune this is what you said

"I am sick to the back teeth of this subject being talked about by all and sundry"

Even if the Government did not pledge any money for training they are still paying out for 1700 people now on Job Seekers allowance.

[EDDIE51]

Exactly Mrs O, China & India are not going to stop selling steel at a far lower cost than we can produce it for anytime soon. We have to move with the times. We no longer have a shipbuilding industry ,that was the main customer for steel either.

[Just-Jude]

No sympathy there. Maybe she thinks they're all from Pakistan and deserve a good kicking.

[mrs_overall]

Retrochic, when Mr O was made redundant we had a mortgage far in excess of £100K and no one offered him any sort of retraining. Where we live there is the tourist industry and nothing else, so I DO know what it is like

[Retrochic]

Mrs O where you live there is more than tourism theres a ruddy great potash mine just up the road from you and Teesside is just up the road! you make things up as you go along!

[ladybirder]

Cor Blimey Mrs O, mortgage over £100k, how many houses can you get for that up there?
Seriously, totally agree with your OP. Pointless pouring money into a loss making industry.

[mrs_overall]

Retrochic, Mr O eventually found a new job.....in Teesside.
He had so much fun driving 30 miles each way over the moors in winter, but it was a job.
Or do you think I am making this up as well?
Don't bother to reply as I am off now to put the slap on for a night out

[mrs_overall]

Ladybirder, houses up here are way above the national average.
Now 2 out of 3 kids have left home we downsized not too long ago....and can now afford luxuries, like food lol

[Retrochic]

LOL yes you best go do that have a lovely evening .

[ladybirder]

Yes I know Mrs O, I was only kidding. Had family living up there at one time.