Tata’s Port Talbot steel mill set to close early due to Unite strikes | Business News

Multinational conglomerate Tata is set to close its Port Talbot steelworks earlier than first announced due to strike plans.

The company said it will delay the final closure to July 7 from September as Unite members at the steelworks were due to the strike on July 8.

Reduce emissions

One of the steel blast furnaces is due to close at the end of this month in an effort to reduce carbon emissions in what is the UK’s biggest source of CO2.

But this second closure is expected to occur next month, accelerating the end of the factory and the loss of 2,800 jobs – 2,500 next year, another 300 in three years.

This is despite £500 million of taxpayers’ money to support the site’s transition to cheaper, greener steel production to reduce emissions.

Old blast furnaces powered by fossil fuels must be replaced by a single electric arc furnace.

Political intervention

Labor begged with the company to contain any closures before a new government is elected on July 4.

Senior Labor Party figures, including Welsh shadow secretary Jo Stevens, have urged Tata to wait for a possible Labor government so further negotiations can take place.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is fighting for the future of the steel industry. We have secured serious investment from the Labor Party to safeguard jobs.”

Graham described Tata’s move as the “latest in a long line of threats that will not stop us.”

“The Unite campaign is not about selling jobs, but about securing the long-term future of steel production in this country for thousands of workers in Port Talbot and South Wales. dispute, sit down, negotiate and realize that the guaranteed investment will be good for the company and for the workers”.

The GMB union also expressed its support, saying “Tata must backtrack on this irreversible decision and safeguard steel assets. Within days there will be general elections that could change a lot.”

A Tata Steel spokesperson said Unite’s strike announcement was made unilaterally and it is “unfortunately forced to initiate legal action to challenge the validity of Unite’s vote”.

“In the coming days, if we cannot be certain that we will be able to continue to operate our assets safely and stably during the strike period, we will have no choice but to pause or halt heavy operations (including both high- ovens) at the Port Talbot site.

“This is not a decision we would take lightly and we recognize it would be extremely costly and disruptive across the supply chain, but the safety of people in or around our facilities will always take priority over everything else.

“The company again calls on Unite to withdraw its industrial action and join Community and GMB unions in taking into account the company’s proposed memorandum of understanding, which sets out a comprehensive proposal including generous employee support packages, training and Skills development”.