Tata Steel workers to hold “all-out indefinite strike” next month
Around 1,500 workers at Tata Steel are set to commence an “all-out indefinite strike” beginning on 8 July, as announced by the union Unite. The strike will take place at the company’s sites in Port Talbot and Llanwern, Newport and is expected to have a significant impact on the company’s UK operations. The industrial action is in response to Tata Steel’s plans to close its blast furnaces in South Wales, putting 2,800 jobs at risk.
According to Unite, this will be the first time in over 40 years that steel workers in the UK have gone on strike. The decision was made after members voted in favor of the move in April. Prior to this, workers had already initiated industrial action in the form of working to rule and a ban on overtime.
Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham expressed the gravity of the situation, stating that “Tata’s workers are not just fighting for their jobs – they are fighting for the future of their communities and the future of steel in Wales.” She also added, “The strikes will go on until Tata halts its disastrous plans.”
Tata Steel has previously stated that it is losing £1m a day at its Port Talbot site and that the situation is not sustainable. The company’s plans include the construction of an electric arc furnace, which it believes will result in a more competitive and environmentally-friendly steelmaking process.
The proposals were officially confirmed in January, with Tata Steel’s CEO TV Narendran telling MPs that the decision was “pretty much” a done deal. The plans were first revealed exclusively by Sky News in September 2023. Unions, including Unite, are expecting the Labour Party to hold emergency talks with the company if they win the upcoming general election.
However, the Community union, which represents the majority of affected Tata workers, has decided, along with the GMB union, not to participate in any industrial action for now. Alun Davies, national officer for steel at Community, stated that they will wait for the completion of the emergency talks with Tata before taking any significant course of action.
In response to Unite’s decision, a Tata Steel spokesperson expressed disappointment and stated that the company’s existing steelmaking assets are near the end of their life and are causing unsustainable losses of £1m a day. The spokesperson also mentioned that if the strike action puts the safety and stability of their operations at risk, they will be forced to accelerate the closure plans.
The spokesperson also highlighted that, after extensive negotiations with the unions, Tata Steel had substantially improved their support package for affected employees, which is the most generous package in the company’s history. The company had expected Unite to present this improved offer to its members, as it had been accepted by all unions, including Unite.