Posted on 01/30/2024 8:22:57 AM PST by Miami Rebel
en. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called on President Biden to keep a Missouri aluminum plant open, after it was reported that its operation would be curtailed by Jan. 28.
Hawley issued a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday after reports that Magnitude 7 Metals, the second-largest U.S. aluminum smelter, is going to lay off most of its staff.
“This cannot be allowed to happen,” Hawley wrote Thursday. “The plant accounts for nearly 30% of the nation’s aluminum. It’s vital to national security. President Biden must invoke the Defense Production Act and keep it open.”
Hawley referenced the Defense Production Act, a law that was invoked recently during the COVID-19 pandemic by both Biden and former President Trump. It allows the president to have emergency authority to control domestic industries. It was passed in 1950 and was modeled after the War Powers Acts, which allowed President Franklin D. Roosevelt to control the domestic economy during World War II.
In a letter from the plant’s management, workers were notified that the smelter would no longer require “most employees.”
“Due to abnormally cold weather, our operations have been severely impaired to the point where they cannot be restored while running,” Heartland News cited the plant saying.
The letter also suggested the plant will keep looking for investors in hopes of restarting the operation.
The smelter, which processes 263,000 metric tons a year, restarted its operation in mid-2018 after being bought out from bankruptcy by ARG International AG’s Matt Lucke. The plant employs 450 union workers.
“Some billionaire wants to put 500 Missourians out of work and walk away with the profit,” Hawley said. “Can’t happen. This plant and these workers are too important to the nation to shut down.”
Including Magnitude 7, the U.S. currently has five operating aluminum plants.
The Hill reached out to Lucke for comment.
Small government conservative Josh Hawley wants the federal government to interfere in a private company.
Yep. Politics isn’t for weak stomachs.
When the competition pays slave wages and follows no environmental rules, this screws Americans. Palin calls it “corporate cronyism”. She is right.
“Due to abnormally cold weather, our operations have been severely impaired to the point where they cannot be restored while running”
—
What does that mean exactly? What operation are hurt by cold weather?
“...interfere in a private company.”
Kinda like commercial welfare.
wy69
Hawley simply needs to get a law passed that the company cannot lay off any employees, can’t reduce any wages, and must sell the same amount of product that they sold last year. Problem solved.
There is no profit, dumbass.
Read the book”Shorting the Grid”.
More and more of the generation capacity is being fueled by natural gas.
During cold weather natural gas is diverted from industrial and power generation usage to residential heating.
Pipelines only have so much capacity.
My guess is the plant couldn’t get the power they needed. That cold could have have resulted in melting pots being damaged.
keep a Missouri aluminum plant open, after it was reported that its operation would be curtailed by Jan. 28.
“Due to abnormally cold weather, our operations have been severely impaired to the point where they cannot be restored while running,” Heartland News cited the plant saying.
The article really should at least summarize what that is referencing.
It appears the plant needs capital in order to shut down, repair, and reopen.
Does this mean there will be a reduction in aluminum chemtrails?—that would be a national tragedy.
Lol.
The aluminum alloys I need have increased 300% thanks to Chomo Joe’s policies. What was 7 a pound is now in the mid 20s. If I can even find it. Can’t mine ores, no reliable electricity for smelting, diesel still very expensive, and all the new global warming crap being shoved down our collective throats. I am assuming with all the new Chomo Joe policies it is more profitable for this company to sit back and collect welfare and sell their “carbon credits” or other environazi scams.
Great fleshing out what I know intuitively. TY.
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