Tata steelworkers in South Wales vote to take industrial action
They're unhappy at the company's plans to axe jobs and close blast furnaces
Steelworkers have voted to strike in protest at planned job losses at Tata in South Wales.
Unite said around 1,500 of its members based in Port Talbot and Newport Llanwern backed industrial action "decisively".
The union is fighting Tata's plans to shut down blast furnaces and replace them with more environmentally friendly electric arc furnaces.
Tata's previously said changes are needed to make its UK operations more sustainable.
Unite said it will be the first time in more than 40 years that Port Talbot steelworkers go on strike.
Unite said Tata has other choices after the union secured a commitment from Labour that it will invest £3 billion in UK steel, compared with the £500 million pledged by the current Government.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This is an historic vote. Not since the 1980s have steel workers voted to strike in this way.
"This yes vote has happened despite Tata's threats that if workers took strike action, enhanced redundancy packages would be withdrawn.
"Unite will be at the forefront of the fight to save steelmaking in Wales. We will support steel by all and every means.
"Other EU countries are transitioning their steel industries while retaining and growing their capacity because they know steel has a bright future - a 10-fold increase in demand is predicted in the coming years.
"In the UK, Tata's plans and those of the Government reflect the short-term thinking of a clapped-out disinterested government marking time to a general election.
"In contrast Labour have done the right thing and committed £3 billion to UK steel following intense discussions with Unite.
"The average age of a Unite Port Talbot worker is 36. Workers and the communities of Port Talbot and Llanwern are looking to the years ahead.
"They know that with the right choices steelmaking capacity and jobs can be kept and the benefits of growing the industry grasped.
"In the crucial weeks to come, Tata's workers and Unite will put up picket lines to prevent the company from taking this disastrous path."
Unite said dates for strike action scheduled to cause "maximum impact" will be announced soon.
The union's Wales regional secretary Peter Hughes said: "Tata has employed everything from bribes to threats to discourage our members from industrial action.
"They will not be intimidated into standing by while Tata attempts to carry out an act of devastating industrial vandalism against their jobs and communities, inflicting untold harm on the Welsh economy and the UK's national interest.
"Our members have their union's absolute support in striking to stop these cuts - Unite is backing them every step of the way."
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