‘IT’S OUR FUTURE AND WE HAVE JUST LOST IT...’
WORKERS at the plant reacted with dismay yesterday.
Daniel Jones has worked as a manufacturing trainee at the Orb site for about a year.
The 24-year-old said: “Loads of my family have worked here. My grandad, my grandad’s brother and my uncle did a period here as well. My mum runs the canteen inside there.
“I’m gutted, it’s our future and we have just lost it. I was excited to enrol. I know my family have had good careers here for 30 or 40 years. I thought I was coming here for the same reason ,but apparently not.”
Mr Jones said he would take another position if he was offered it from Tata, but he is still unsure what will happen.
“It’s hard to believe they care when we found out in the media,” he said.
Brett Williams, branch secretary of Community and furnace man, has worked at the plant for more than 20 years.
“Twenty-one years I have been here,” said Mr Williams. “It’s come as a kick in the face for this workforce. We believe that if we had the right investment we could have been competitive. The stuff we have now is so antiquated we haven’t been given the chance.”
Danny Clarke, 28, is a crane operator at the Orb site. He said: “I’m just gutted.
“I have to go home now and explain to the wife. I’ve got two young kids and a mortgage.
“We just came into work yesterday and there was a big gathering of lads. Then we came in today and that was it.
“If anyone left immediately off their own back they wouldn’t be paid.”