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Bruce F. Breiner Sr. BOF Closing Bethlehem Steel November 1995
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ม.ค. 2014
- My father and other Bethlehem Steel workers on the last day steel was made at the Bethlehem Steel plant in Bethlehem, PA. November 1995.
There will never be a business you can commit your entire life to like Bethlehem Steel. Its so sad
I'm a Union laborer and work at Salem and hope Creek nuke plant on the Delaware river in South Jersey all the Iron beams 6" to 36" have Bethlehem on Them.
The big canons on Corregidor Island all have Bethlehem on them.
My grandfather Ferdinand Ackerman, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he worked at Blast Furnace from 1947 - 1987, when he retired after 40 years. His father died there, Alex Ackerman. Grandfather, He passed in 2014.
Thank you for all your Grandfather did at Bethlehem to build this great country.
They might have found a cheaper way but it wasn't "better".I have seen vehicles that were barely 5 years old almost completely rusted out and ready for scrap.
What is no mentioned is that Beth Steel problem started with the construction of the WTC in the 1960s when it was cheaper to bring in finished steel from Japan; they were the most expensive bidder, while expecting to the contract. They had a retirement program that permitted guys to leave after 25 years, but was not backed by monies to maintain that policy. Like GM needs to have about $2000 of every car go to retirement as they set up their retirement funds. The idea with both companies was … we can cover that later.
My father left the steel in 75, made his pension Sayes sign ara. Painted houses and made it work out .with 4kids and a house wife. My dad ,my hero.🙄🤔🙏
What is left of this plant is really impressive. The plant drawings framed around the space which is open to the public are really something to see. It's awesome to see rust belt cities reinvent.
What about just opening up the plants again instead of "reinventing" the cities?
Why should the the chinese and the russians produce cheap, crappy steel while their high-quality mills close down?
My Father worked for Bethlehem Steel. He was 8 years old when he became foreman for the raising gang. I actually have fond memories of going to work with him in 62'. I was born in 83' though. worked for Bethlehem myself, from 86' to 95'. Miss those days. Thanks for the memories!
How did you go to work with your dad in '62 when you were born in '83??
he was 8 years old when he became a foreman? Wtf…you might wanna re edit your comment cause it makes no sense at all
I did that exact job at Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point Maryland at 2:28 into the video when i was 20 years old. That is on the floor of the Blast Furnace. The heat was unbelievable. He is lifting a gate that lets the slag flow into a ladle.
I did that very same job at Sharon Steel from 1969 to 1971 The fumes were also unbelieve.
Thank you for working at Bethlehem and for all you did to build this great country.
How could they not expect it? They started closing in 1977 - at least this one held on for 18 years longer.
I worked for Bethlehem in the 70’s. Great place. Very poor upper management decision making. Put 750 million in oil fired furnaces in Johnstown, pa. During the oil crisis. Really? Never fired them up. Bitched about foreign steel then bought iron ore carriers made in Korea instead of at their own ship building operations. Sold off operations and gave up beam manufacturing to Nucor Yamato and pushed them from mini mill to their own competition. Book out there by Ron Thomas knew him personally. Tells all. Brought in a bean counter to run the place. Told us no layoffs. Proceeded to lay off 44,000 employees not by talent but longest employed. I was one of the first. So sad.
OMG my grandpa worked at that plant in 1925
A good friend of mine worked as a switchman for the Philadelphia, Bethlehem & New England Railroad till it to was no longer needed by Bethlehem Steel to do the outer plant switching work. He managed to find a job with Norfolk Southern Railroad and still lives in the Allentown area.
My whole family and famiky friends worked there for years and all types of jobs but they do miss the old days tho and its sad too see it no longer arpund
Worked for Bethlehem at their plant in Vernon, Cal. for a while when I got out of the USMC in 1967/1968. Diesel/Hydraulic Mechanic. Everything from the Train engines down to the lawnmower was repaired in our shop.
Yes, I remember those days it was the boss's mowers that got repaired in the shops and anyone who could sneak in their lawnmower bladers would get a procession blade sharpening and balancing it happened every spring.
thanks for posting this bruce. i hope your doing well. the loss of these cradle to grave industries leaves us directionless and disillusioned when it comes to being focused on the jobs we are given. when prospects look bleak some people turn to vice. in my case i got put up for adoption because they mechanized the coal mines when he who begat me had just gotten back from vietnam.
My whole family on my father’s side worked at Bethlehem Steel in Lackawanna NY…what’s left of it now, after the fire a few years back is nothing but an eyesore….A deserted complex that is mostly burned to the ground. Very sad.
With the loss of all this major industry, one has to question if we could ever mount the war efforts in the past such as WWI or II?We don't utilize our own resources anymore or have sold them to other countries. If we had to fight for our own absolute survival on our own would we make it?
Holy smokes. I was researching the railroad because I just bought an old Lionel Bethlehem Steel Dock Switcher train. I wanted to do some research. Turns out they closed on the year I was born.
RIP Richard "Dick" Kovacs July 15, 1947 ~ April 8, 2011
Gov allowed foreign gov subsidized steel. Now the big shots at companies are getting pension. Not the ones who do the job
Best damn steel in the world. This mill would put out a battleship a day in steel. God Save the USA Bring our Jobs home stop paying these Evil CEOs and start paying the working class. Tax the rich same as us and bring our jobs home where they belong
The US Government did it, Steelmaking was just too dirty for America, Don't believe do some investigating, It is all there.
Absolutely.
@sqd37l I actually have. have you stopped to analyze modern economics and how its has evolved over the years? big business donates to college, college takes money, business wants new "style of business to be taught worthless or not" this country made its wealth post WW2 into the 60's open your eyes the country is imploding. we give tax breaks to the filthy rich who don’t need it? we tie up tillable soil with soil bank aka pay farmers not to farm? tie up tillable soil with solar farms that put power on an extremely fragile and weak power grid...we also build We are the bread basket of the world?.. so we don’t farm, we take all of our natural resources iron oar/timber/coal/food and water and sell them off to foreign markets so only the elite can reap the profits? tax the ever living shit out of the working class and give a free ride to those who dont pull their own weight or are too busy wrapping their lips around a crack pipe? Tax everyone on the dollar they make (or have hidden in off shore bank accounts. take a look around you, tell me how your bull shit economics is helping whats left of the USA?
weak....dont tie up all your IQ points at once
@@sqd37l accurate
David Lanz if anybody is curious. The tune is Cristofori's Dream.
coincidentally, he is sitting there playing a huge cast steel harp on that pianos soundboard. biggest casting most individuals would ever own. adopt a piano today.
Too bad. They talk about foreign competition making this plant uneconomic...but if Asia and Europe have more efficient steel production, couldn't they have adapted this one to be more efficient too, so it could continue to compete? Surely American engineers are at least as good as those in other counties, and could have designed improvements? Something doesn't seem right here.
It's not the way they make it that lowers the cost. Foreign companies don't have the benefits, the pay, the regulations that American companies had to adhere to. Thanks to NAFTA we destroyed the industrial complex of this country. We used to be a completely self sufficient country. Not any more.
Sabotage and conspiracy
“If America can’t produce their own steel
What can they do”
Metal in general have infinite amount of uses
It because in the other countries they’ll work for way less wages and no benefits. Here in america we won’t
go go go granite city!
You will soon witness American Steel Roar back to life. It looks so bad right now but there are things going on . Things happening behind the veil that will Make America Great Again. American Steel to rebuild America. Have faith in God. God is working.
👍♐️
What did you father do at the Steel? Was he a craft worker or production?
I honestly couldn't answer that accurately. Towards the end he was the worker who would take a sample of the steel from the ladle and send it to the lab. Very near the end, he worked in the lab and tested the steel. That is where he is pictured in the video.
My grandfather was a master machinist , worked in Number 2 & number 6 machine shops , he would be called in in the middle of the night to make parts for Rolls Royce , he lost an eye in an accident , returned to work till he retired after well over 40 years . My Father was a chief Clerk (a middle executive position) He started at the steel by pushing a broom , he was tasked to do some work that others didn't want to do (painting 5 stories up inside the mill with little safety equipment available he did as he was asked , and that was how he advanced within the company , He was in charge of Number 2, 6 , and 8 machine shops . when he was buried he had a bigger funeral than most police here did , he was very respected at the steel and in Bethlehem area . I graduated HS and Vo-Tech in 87 ' the first layoff of over 4000 had just happened , and they were no longer hiring , so good by future life , now I live destroyed poor on disability with no hopes of a good life , my generation got totally screwed . I hope this helped your query , it's a history that is already mostly forgotten , not a good feeling you know .
@@timc333 thanks for the story man. I love collecting oral histories like that. Your generation and mine, millennial, both got screwed. I hope your doing well brother and merry Christmas.
@@redrobbo1896 I give you a huge deal of credit . Your interest is what will keep the history alive . There are as many stories about the steel as there were families in the area , they all are real , my story is not as tragic as others though but it's the story largely un told . Truth is everyone had to adapt some did so well others weren't as able to adapt , but we all figure it out and move on , but yes it still hurts . There's hope for your generation , you will just have to work harder than my generation , yes you were screwed too and on top of it , my generation never was taught how be good parents , so you got no help from us. But your generation can be the one to change that. Ooppps just realized I'm giving you a graduation speech , lol.
So so sad.
I worked there about 35 years ago and I thought to myself no don't shut it down it could of been sold for $175000 and it was sold for 10cent on the dollar and was sold for $75,000 so sad
PIANO? Like Piano music to say far the well..