STEELWORKERS are to consult on industrial action after unions branded the loss of 3,000 jobs at the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot, South Wales, as “totally unacceptable.”
Tata Steel announced the job losses yesterday as part of a transition from traditional coal-fired blast furnaces to more environmentally-friendly electric arc furnaces.
The company rejected an alternative transition plan drawn up by unions involving a phased switchover.
Unite said it would use “everything in its armoury” to resist the job losses.
Unions Community and GMB also rejected the company’s plan and said in a joint statement: “We will now consult our members on next steps and all options to protect jobs are on the table, including industrial action.”
Tata was awarded £500 million in taxpayer subsidies last year by the government to help fund the transition — dubbed a “subsidy to cut jobs” by critics.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is ready to use everything in its armoury to defend steelworkers and our steel industry.
“We have detailed research demonstrating how and why Tata should be expanding UK steel production in line with growing demand, not slashing its workforce.
“We have secured funding from a future Labour government that could do this.
"Tata’s plan to close the blast furnaces is simply industrial vandalism on a grand scale.”
GMB and steel union Community said that since September last year, when the company proposals were announced, the unions had made clear that the plans were “totally unacceptable.”
“More than 3,000 jobs and the future of British steelmaking is at stake,” they said.
“It is an absolute disgrace that Tata Steel, and the UK government, appear intent on pursuing the cheapest instead of the best plan for our industry, our steelworkers and our country.
“It’s unbelievable any government would give a company £500m to throw 3,000 workers on the scrapheap – and our government must reevaluate its miserly offer to support investment at Tata Steel.
“Tata must think again, and work with the UK government and Labour to unlock the investment our industry needs and deserves.”
Stephen Kinnock, Labour MP for Aberavon, home of the Port Talbot steelworks, called for more talks to bring the steelworks "back from the brink."
Tata employs more than 6,500 in Wales and a further 1,500 in the rest of the country.
