UK's Tata Steel Workers Initiate First Strike In 40 Years
Tata Steel management expressed its disappointment with the decision and had been urging the Union to halt the industrial action.
Nearly 1,500 Tata Steel Ltd. employees located in Port Talbot and Llanwern in Wales are set to commence an "all-out indefinite strike" starting from July 8, in objection to the company's "damaging proposals" to reduce 2,800 positions and shutter its blast furnaces.
Unite the Union stated that this marks the initial instance in more than four decades where steelworkers in the United Kingdom have engaged in a strike designed to significantly disrupt Tata Steel UK's activities.
The so-called “escalation” in industrial action comes after members of Unite had already begun working to rule out an overtime ban earlier this week.
"Around 1,500 Tata workers based in Port Talbot and Llanwern will begin all-out indefinite strike action over the company’s plans to cut 2,800 jobs and close its blast furnaces," Unite the Union said in a press release.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said that Tata employees are not only advocating for their employment, but also for the sustainability of their local communities and the steel industry in Wales.
“The strikes will go on until Tata halts its disastrous plans. Unite is backing Tata’s workers to the hilt in their historic battle to save the Welsh steel industry and give it the bright future it deserves,” she said.
The Union claims the Opposition Labour Party has called for the Mumbai-headquartered steel major to halt its plans and wait until after the July 4 general election to engage in talks with a newly elected government.
“Labour has pledged GBP 3 billion for UK steel if elected next month, a commitment secured by Unite. Labour has also made emergency talks with Tata a priority if it wins the election,” the Unite Union said.
Tata Steel management expressed its disappointment with the decision and had been urging the Union to halt the industrial action. This comes after Tata Steel's announcement in April to shut down two outdated blast furnaces as part of a GBP 1.25 billion upgrade to shift to a modern Electric Arc Furnace at its Port Talbot steel plant in Wales.
Since the plan was announced earlier this year, the company said it had held seven months of formal and informal discussions with the UK trade unions about the major transformation, which preserves 5,000 jobs and secures future steel supplies. It is also expected to create more indirect jobs in engineering and construction and reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonne each year.
(With inputs from PTI)
