WALES
Thousands more steelworkers vote for strikes over plans to axe thousands of jobs and Port Talbot furnace closures
Members of the UK’s largest steelworkers’ union have become the latest Tata steelworkers to vote for industrial action over plans to cut thousands of jobs amid Port Talbot furnace closures.
More than 3,000 members across all Tata Steel UK production sites were balloted for strike action by the trade union Community. It followed plans by Tata to shut both its blast furnaces at Port Talbot in south Wales with plans to axe 2,800 jobs.
According to the union more than 85% of members who were surveyed voted in favour of industrial action. Port Talbot steelworkers have previously warned politicians of “destitution” for the local area if their jobs are not protected.
Tata Steel plans to replace the Port Talbot’s blast furnaces with greener steelmaking and construct an electric furnace in the summer of 2025 with the UK government contributing £500m towards its cost, while Labour has committed £3bn to the UK steel industry.
The company has said it was losing £1m a day under current operations, however it was recently revealed that the owner of Tata Steel UK raked in £3bn in profits last year.
National officer for steel at Community, Alun Davies, said: “Today our members delivered their verdict on Tata Steel’s job cuts plan, and they have voted to demand a better deal for the workforce.
“It should be noted this resounding mandate has been delivered in spite of the company’s bullying and unacceptable threats to slash redundancy payments.
“We will now be consulting our members on next steps, and we urge Tata to reconsider their position and get back around the table to head off a major industrial dispute.”
Around one month ago members of Unite the union voted to take industrial action over the job cuts, with regional secretary for Unite Wales describing the proposals as “devastating industrial vandalism”.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said that, not since the 1980s have steel workers voted to strike in this way.
Members of the GMB union have also been balloted for industrial action and the trade unions could coordinate action if their members supported this move. Community union said it will be consulting its 3,000 members on next steps.
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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