We were Centria, a family treated like company that took care of there employees and employees took care of them. We were the best roll coater business in the county. We put out the best all around product that we knew was the best when it left the shipping dock. We were union steel workers like our fathers and grandfathers. We worked every day, 12hrs or 16 hrs what ever was needed, we loved it, it wasn’t a problem, it’s how we were raised. We made a great salary and the company made great profit. Number one concern was putting out the best product on the market and satisfying the customers in every way. Which we did. Some employees were union some were company but it didn’t matter we were all focused on the same thing, to be the all around best. THEN comes Cornerstone, and the only thing the were worried about was safety, safety, safety. Now don’t forget this is a union job with good wages, benefits and company that cared about us and our families. We rarely had accidents, the whole mill was experienced, guys didn’t leave a job like this, you got hired you stayed. Nothing for a guy to retire with 35-40yrs service, union or company. For a dangerous place which it was we had very few accidents if at all. Cornerstone’s motto seemed to be don’t worry about quality, don’t worry about keeping the customers happy, they’ll get it when they get it. As long as no one was getting hurt then they were happy. This lasted a couple years before they used the corona virus as a excuse to shut us down and keep there other 8-10 roll coating lines open that cannot keep employees for longer than a few months and have terrible accidents all the time because they refuse to pay the money for the hard, hot, and long hour job that it is. Many customers left after they bought us and dealt with them a few months. From the late orders from not wanting to pay overtime and the bad product going out from cheaping up from paint to metal to cleaners to the experienced bosses that were fired immediately so they won’t have to pay there higher wages. Well out went the knowledge also. I could go on and on but it’s over so what’s the use? Cornerstone is the worst all around employer all 100 of us guys in Ambridge, Pennsylvania have ever had. So long Cornerstone and choke on it!!!!!!
