Tata Steel Union workers say commitment made to secure jobs

Steel unions say they have a commitment from Tata to secure the future of jobs and production at Port Talbot and other steelworks across the UK.

Published 7th Dec 2016

Steel unions say they have a commitment from Tata to secure the future of jobs and production at Port Talbot and other steelworks across the UK.

A number of significant'' measures include keeping two blast furnaces at the South Wales plant for five years, a commitment to seek to avoid compulsory redundancies for a similar period, a 10-year investment plan of #1 billion and consultation on replacing the pension with a defined benefit scheme.

Unions said after a meeting in Port Talbot that the commitments on jobs, production and investment were welcome, although the pension proposal was worrying''.

The future of Tata plants has been in doubt since its UK business was put up for sale in March. The Indian conglomerate put the sale on hold in the summer as it considered a tie-up with German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp.

Tata employs thousands of workers, including more than 4,000 at Port Talbot, and others at Trostre and Shotton in Wales, Corby, Hartlepool and at sites in the West Midlands.