Workers at Tata Steel suspend strike

Around 1,500 Tata Steel workers at the Port Talbot and Llanwern sites were scheduled to begin an indefinite strike on July 8.

By: Shajil Kumar

TATA Steel workers in Britain have suspended a planned general strike and overtime ban after the company agreed to negotiations on future investment, the Unite union said on Monday.

Around 1,500 Tata Steel workers at the Port Talbot and Llanwern sites were due to go on an indefinite strike on July 8 to protest against the company’s plans to close two blast furnaces and cut up to 2,800 jobs in Wales.

They had already started banning overtime on June 17.

“This is a significant development in the fight to secure jobs and the long-term future of steel production in South Wales,” said Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham.

“It is vital that these discussions progress expeditiously and in good faith, with a focus on new investment and ensuring the long-term continuity of steel production in South Wales.”

Earlier, the Labour Party, which is expected to win the July 4 general election, had urged Tata to refrain from taking further action before the outcome of the vote.

Tata announced in January that the company planned to close its coking plants and two high-emission blast furnaces in Port Talbot.

The reform comes against the backdrop of a shift in the European steel industry, which is trying to finance less carbon-intensive production.

Tata plans to invest £1.25 billion in arc furnace technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the long term.

Rishi Sunak’s government had provided a £500 million grant to support the transition to sustainable technologies. (Agencies)