Workers atop the continuous caster at Claymont Steel in 2007. It's over 100 F outside this day, and probably 140+ F where these guys are all day.

In front of them is a "tundish" (bathtub-like container) full of liquid steel at about 3000 degrees F. The lever and arm between them operates a 'bathtub stopper' in the bottom of the tundish. They control flow of liquid steel as it pours down into a machine that continuously forms it (sort of like a PlayDoh machine) into three slabs that eventually becomes plate to make non-plastic shit.

They have to make sure this process never stops, making adjustments, changing wear parts, swapping out tundishes and ladles. It's dangerous, it's hot, it's actual work.

These guys were friendly, polite, and hardworking. Now, thanks to the announced sale and "re-development" of the mill site, they will be unemployed. I sincerely doubt they will ever again make the decent wage they made at Claymont.

This is progress Amurrica! Grab it by the gonads!