Unite, the UK’s leading union, has warned that the government needs to take immediate action to preserve large scale steelmaking in the UK. The union made its call after Tata steel announced plans to close both its blast furnaces with the proposed loss of approximately 2,500 jobs, principally at Port Talbot in South Wales.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is ready to use everything in its armoury to defend steel workers 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.”

 “The government needs to invest in British industry in order to defend workers and communities as well as our industrial base and our national security. Instead, they are giving Tata hundreds of millions of pounds to fund their plan to cut jobs, cut capacity and give more business to their plants in other countries, like India and the Netherlands. How is that acceptable?”

 ENDS

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications advisor Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235.

Email: barckley.sumner@unitetheunion.org

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Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.