Union to ballot workers on industrial action

STEELWORKERS will be balloted for industrial action in response to the threat of job losses at Port Talbot and downstream Tata sites, union officials announced on Friday night.

The Indian steel giant announced last month it plans to shed 2,800 jobs at the landmark plant – the UK’s largest remaining steelworks – and other sites.

Union Community announced its senior officials have passed a resolution to ballot for industrial action.

The resolution, which was agreed at a meeting of 40 Community representatives from across the UK, gives the union the formal mandate to ballot its members on strike action.

It follows Tata’s announcement in January that it plans to close the two primary steel-making blast furnaces at Port Talbot and switch to an electric arc method of steel making, which involves recycling steel as opposed to making “virgin steel” and does not require as many workers. There will be a knock-on effect at other Tata works across the UK.

Tata boss TV Narendran told MPs on

January 31 that Port Talbot was losing £1m a day and that in the past 15 years the company had tried “multiple ways forward but it hasn’t worked”.

He said it had reached the point all UK jobs were at risk but this deal saves 5,000 UK jobs. He said the company has invested £5bn in the past 15 years but that has “not helped”.

Community says it represents more steelworkers than any other union, including the vast majority of workers impacted by Tata’s decarbonisation plans.

The union’s general secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “Industrial action is always a last resort but Tata’s actions mean we now have to prepare for that eventuality. Recent statements from the leadership of Tata Steel leave little doubt the company is determined to impose its devastating proposals come what may, making a complete mockery of the ongoing consultation process.

“There is still time for Tata to change their position, but as things stand we are heading towards a major industrial dispute.”