Letter to the editor: US Steel acquisition a sensible move

Concerning the Nippon Steel attempt to acquire U.S. Steel: I recently retired after six years as senior buyer with a quality international company (unionized) that bought a lot of steel. When the Trump administration tossed U.S. Steel a lifeline with increased duties on imported steel, USS responded by raising their prices.

Previously I worked over eight years for a Japanese-owned company that was the poster boy of why unions are sometimes necessary. Among other odious practices, they incentivized themselves to terminate employees for creative reasons so as to not pay accumulated earned vacation and leave time.

Accordingly, I understand both sides of the issue well. But, in all fairness, the odious ex-employer made said decision through their local, not their Japanese management. I had worked for three different Japanese employers over the 20 years prior, and encountered nothing even remotely like that sorry experience.

Thus the choice is not whether U.S. Steel will remain an American-owned steel producer. The choice is whether it will be owned by a quality firm based in a country that is a strong ally of the United States or continue its current trajectory toward shedding market share mostly to a country that has nuclear missiles aimed our way.

Look at the iconic U.S. Steel building in downtown Pittsburgh, which now has a different owner. Most of the office space with the new owner is occupied by law offices, a little by other tenants including U.S. Steel. Both major candidates are dead wrong in opposing this sensible acquisition.

David Staples

Hempfield