STEEL unions reacted with fury today after Tata Steel threatened to speed up the closure of its Port Talbot blast furnaces in response to three-quarters of GMB Wales members backing strike action.

The ballot ended with 83 per cent of workers voting for action short of a strike and 72 per cent backing walkouts.

Tata Steel bosses have threatened to withdraw a proposed redundancy package, take legal action against another of the steel unions, Unite, and close down Blast Furnace 5 earlier than planned if industrial action was not ruled out.