Port Talbot: Tata plant could close two months early due to strikes

Around 2,800 Tata Steel workers will lose their jobs when the company closes both blast furnaces in Port Talbot by the end of September.

The company had stated at the time that if the strike affected the safety or stability of its operations, it would be “forced” to accelerate its closure plans.

A Tata spokesman said: “Following the announcement by the Unite union that it will unilaterally call for strike action from 8 July, Tata Steel is unfortunately forced to take legal action to challenge the validity of Unite’s vote.

“If we cannot be confident in the coming days that we can continue to operate our plants safely and stably during the strike period, we will have no choice but to interrupt or cease heavy oil operations (including the two blast furnaces) at the Port Talbot site.

“This is not a decision we would take lightly and we recognise it would prove extremely costly and disruptive across the supply chain, but the safety of people on or around our sites will always take precedence over anything else.”

Tata again called on Unite to withdraw its industrial action and join Community and GMB unions in “reviewing” the company’s proposal, which Tata said includes “generous support packages for employees, as well as training and skills development”.

The company said it “understands” the impact the restructuring will have on many employees and contractors, but remains “committed to a just transition” and hopes for a “long and sustainable future” in the UK.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said Unite was “fighting for the future of the steel industry”.

She said Unite had secured “significant investment” from the Labour Party to protect jobs.

“Tata’s announcement to shut down or halt blast furnaces three months ahead of schedule is the latest in a long line of threats, but they will not deter us.

“The Unite campaign is not about selling jobs, it is about securing the long-term future of steelmaking in this country for thousands of workers in Port Talbot and South Wales.”

Unite called on the “real decision makers” in Mumbai to recognise that “the investment secured will benefit the company and the workers”.

The GMB union said Tata must reverse this “irreversible decision” and instead “protect its steel production assets”.

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB national representative, said the upcoming general election could “change so much” and that the GMB’s next actions would be decided by its members.

The Community union condemned Tata’s “unacceptable” decision to bring forward the closure and said it continued to support the Labour Party’s call for Tata not to make any irreversible decisions before the general election.

First Minister Vaughan Gething described Tata’s news as “extraordinary” and urged the company to wait for the outcome of next week’s general election.

In a statement, Mr Gething said: “The news that Tata may shut down blast furnaces 4 and 5 at Port Talbot next week is extraordinary and will cause great anxiety for employees, their families and the community.”

“The Welsh Government cannot and will not support the closure of both blast furnaces.”

He added that intervention during the election period had not helped to de-escalate the situation.

Samuel Kurtz, Welsh Conservative shadow minister for business and energy, said it was “disappointing news that will cause additional suffering to communities that already have enough to deal with”.

“Tata has shown no goodwill towards its workforce during this difficult time.

“The Welsh Labour Government has also paid only lip service to the Tata workforce and has not paid a single penny to the interim body. And there is nothing in the British Labour Party manifesto about what it would do differently to support the Port Talbot steelworkers,” he added.

Plaid Cymru’s economic spokesman Luke Fletcher said the steel industry should be placed under the control of the next UK government, which Plaid says will be led by Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Fletcher said: “Now is the time for the new Labour Government to put its money where its mouth is on steel.”

“Save our steel industry is not just a slogan. If we want to save our steel industry, nationalization must happen from day one.”