THE further 800 steel workers about to lose their jobs in Stocksbridge and Aldwarke needn't despair: I have in my hand a piece of paper from Herr Brown - from the Sheffield Star actually, of May 9, 2009 headlined - "Future of steel industry is safe in city," following his visit to Forgemasters.
Just a minute, though, this assurance may not apply to the Stocksbridge, Aldwarke or Shepcote Lane plants - all under disastrous foreign ownership, hit by falling sales and by Europe's highest electricity costs, made worse by the cost of New Labour's
stupid carbon credits scheme. It's unbelievable too that Corus Holland workers get Dutch Government help to keep their jobs until work improves, and Corus Britain workers are refused British Government help. What's a Common Market for? Why remain in the EU if there isn't fairness?
Let's hope that Forgemasters, at least, under solid Sheffield ownership, may get a few million pounds loan (chicken feed after the untold thousands of millions given to New Labour's banker friends) - towards the purchase of a 15,000 ton forging press at River Don Works. Forgemasters need this press to make the massive pieces for new nuclear power stations.
Stations urgently needed, of course, to produce power to service the huge and unstoppable increase in population over the next few decades.
lTHE Telegraph's front page story last week revealed that a series of changes planned for bus services in Sheffield has been blocked by the council.
The following letters were received before that decision was taken and announced, but are still relevant as the proposals have been suspended, rather than dropped altogether.
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