Union Unite has announced that around 1,500 Tata Steel workers will go on indefinite strike next month in response to the company's plans to make thousands redundant. This is the first major steel strike in the UK in 40 years.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said the workers were fighting for the future of their communities and the survival of the steel industry in Wales. "Workers are not only fighting for their livelihoods, but also for the future of the steel industry in Wales," said Graham. Unite emphasised that they will not give up the strike unless Tata Steel puts an end to these redundancy plans.
Tata Steel's plans to close both blast furnaces at Port Talbot by the end of September and lay off around 2,800 workers has mobilised workers and unions. The strike will begin on 8 July at the Tata Llanwern plant in Port Talbot and Newport. The company warned that it would accelerate closure plans if the strike affected operational safety and stability.
Tata Steel has called on Unite to suspend their action and return to the negotiating table. The company also warned that proposed severance packages could be cancelled if workers go on strike. "In the event of a strike, the proposed financial packages will not be paid," Tata Steel CEO Rajesh Nair said.
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