More U.S. Steel Layoffs Coming, CEO Says

U.S. Steel Corp. expects to lay off more workers this year as the Downtown-based steel manufacturer accelerates cost-cutting to deal with a significant downturn in demand, CEO Mario Longhi said Wednesday.

The company has laid off 2,800 workers since the beginning of the year as it reduces steel production at all its plants in North America. It has issued notices to 9,000 of its workers warning them that they could be cut which gives the company flexibility to react to worsening conditions.

Longhi told analysts that the number of layoffs will go higher, but he didn’t provide specifics.

Read more: http://triblive.com/business/headlines/8253660-74/steel-company-longhi#ixzz3YipFlqKv
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Mayor Holds Line On Taxes, Raises His Own Salary In Proposed Budget

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE, PA – Mayor Tom Leighton proposed a $42.7 million 2014 budget Friday without any tax or fee hikes, a raise for himself and funding to hire additional police officers.

“My goal is to hire at least 10 new officers in 2014, but we will closely monitor the strength of city finances to hire as many officers as the general fund can afford,” Leighton said during his budget presentation at city hall.

Unionized city employees will receive a 3 percent raise. Leighton’s salary also will increase 3 percent for 2014 to $82,309.

Leighton, who is serving in his third term as mayor, said he has not taken a raise for the last seven years amid financial woes

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/mayor-holds-line-on-taxes-raises-his-own-salary-in-proposed-budget-1.1567278

Harley-Davidson Looking At Kansas City Operations – Possibly Moving Work To York

Image via Wikipedia

Looks like Harley-Davidson is entering round three of the “get what we want” trifecta.  First York got the squeeze, then Wisconsin and now Kansas City.

Harley is “reviewing its operations” in Kansas City and has determined they need to make some big changes if they are going to continue operations there in the future.  Sound familiar?  So unless Kansas City follows York’s and Wisconsin’s lead, they could be losing their jobs.  York is being eyed as a possible site to move that manufacturing if Kansas City gets closed.  York says capacity is no problem and they would welcome the additional work. 

The workforce in York will be reduced by more than 50% till all is said and done.

We’ll have to keep an eye on the situation in Kansas City to see if they fall in line or try to play hardball.