Pittsburgh steel industry (transfer, university, standard of living)

[Ernest Joseph]

My father worked at J&L from 1938 to 1964. Liike many others, he was stricken by a mysterious disease, the men of steel called the death ingot. Dad passed in 1965 at the age of 62. He gave his life to working at the mill. He put his family and religion first. Then he gave the rest of his life to the mill. He was born in the village of Pizzoferrato, Italy. I will never forget him, nor will I forget the many others that passed from the same feared and dreaded disease. Has anyone out there ever heard about the death ingot? P.S. I am sure you can find out all the information on air quality that you want from the Allegheny County Health Department, division of Air Pollution Control.

[ditchdigger]

Has anyone out there ever heard about the death ingot?

Can't say I have, and Google doesn't turn up much, other than the novel by one Ernesto Fagnilli.

What was it?

[MissStellaP]

That novel, The Death Ingot, is supposed to be based on true events on what happened in Pittsburgh with the steelworkers getting sick and all. Otherwise there isn't too much on the net, at this point. There is a lot of historical information in the book.

[Craziaskowboi]

If the steel industry remained in Pittsburgh, then it'd be as bad off as Cleveland and Detroit are right now. Remember, Pittsburgh was entirely stripped of its identity in the 1980's. The job losses were structural, meaning they were gone forever. Meanwhile, the job losses in Cleveland and Detroit were cyclical since both cities were hitched more to the automotive industry than anything else. That's why they enjoyed positive publicity in the 1990's while Pittsburgh was largely ignored. Pittsburgh had to change while Cleveland and Detroit developed a false sense of economic security. But now the job losses in those cities are structural just like they were in Pittsburgh in the 1980's. Basically, the rate of deceline in Pittsburgh was much more severe than it was in Cleveland or Detroit, thereby necessitating more immediate action to change. That's why Pittsburgh is ahead of the game compared to either of those cities. Not that they won't rebound, just that they'll rebound later than Pittsburgh simply because they hung onto their heavy industry longer.

[Herodotus]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

If the steel industry remained in Pittsburgh, then it'd be as bad off as Cleveland and Detroit are right now. Remember, Pittsburgh was entirely stripped of its identity in the 1980's. The job losses were structural, meaning they were gone forever. Meanwhile, the job losses in Cleveland and Detroit were cyclical since both cities were hitched more to the automotive industry than anything else. That's why they enjoyed positive publicity in the 1990's while Pittsburgh was largely ignored. Pittsburgh had to change while Cleveland and Detroit developed a false sense of economic security. But now the job losses in those cities are structural just like they were in Pittsburgh in the 1980's. Basically, the rate of deceline in Pittsburgh was much more severe than it was in Cleveland or Detroit, thereby necessitating more immediate action to change. That's why Pittsburgh is ahead of the game compared to either of those cities. Not that they won't rebound, just that they'll rebound later than Pittsburgh simply because they hung onto their heavy industry longer.

100% accurate. Pittsburgh and Buffalo lost their heavy industry in the 1980's, while in Cleveland and Detroit, industry shrunk, but remained. In fact, the steel industry all but disappeared from Pittsburgh east. Baltimore, Bethlehem and Johnstown, also lost their mills during this era. The disappearance of heavy industry has followed a consistent east to west pattern, starting with the disappearance of the textile mills around Boston several decades ago, and moving consistently west.

[Copanut]

With all due respect to the prior two posts, which I agree with, this area is still hurting. Pgh proper and selective suburbs may be doing well, but what about Swissvale, Aliquippa, Braddock, Ambridge, Rochester, Coraopolis, East Pgh, just to name a few.

Eds and Meds may be good for the educated, but what about the working man?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Eds and Meds may be good for the educated, but what about the working man?

The cold fact is that automation is systematically eliminating manual labor jobs which require little in the way of education.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The cold fact is that automation is systematically eliminating manual labor jobs which require little in the way of education.

So, we all become educated and do what? Are we nothing but a service nation? Steel is being produced, just not in this country. You sound like a lawyer.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Copanut

So, we all become educated and do what? Are we nothing but a service nation? Steel is being produced, just not in this country.

Steel actually IS being produced in the United States. The industry just doesn't employ nearly as many people per production unit as it used to. The same is true of many other durable goods industries.

These same dynamics are playing out in other developed countries too. Some less developed countries are trailing behind (meaning they are still using more labor intensive production processes), but it is only a matter of time before there is enough investment in automation in those countries too to put them on the same path.

I don't know exactly how this will all play out. Automation is going to make the total supply of relevant goods both bigger and cheaper. But how we will organize the distribution of those goods to consumers--in terms of work, wages, and so on--is an open question.

But one thing I do know: there has never been a long-term-successful effort to prevent available technologies from eliminating jobs. So this is a problem we will have to deal with, because it can't be avoided.

You sound like a lawyer.

For all I know, artificial intelligences will eventually eliminate legal jobs as well.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

For all I know, artificial intelligences will eventually eliminate legal jobs as well.

All jobs can be eliminated if nothing physical is being produced.