Factors Influencing the Steel Work Force

The steel industry in OECD countries has undergone profound change during the past several decades. Capacity has been reduced significantly, while substantial investment has been made to improve processing efficiency and product quality. Two key technological developments have driven this process. The first is rapid expansion of the use of continuous casting, a technology that has improved product quality, reduced energy consumption and greatly increased efficiency. The second is significant growth in electric furnace steelmaking, particularly at highly efficient small-scale mini-mills, that produce an expanding range of steel products using ferrous scrap as the principal raw material. These and other technological changes, combined with plant closures and other restructuring, have greatly reduced industry employment. Despite growth in finished steel production, employment has fallen by close to 40 per cent in the OECD area since 1980.

This document examines how the employment ...