“The Future Is Uncertain” Port Talbot Blast Furnace Closures And Job Losses “Devastating”

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3 ай бұрын

This week questions will be raised in Parliament over the social impact of closing the Port Talbot steelworkers.
It comes after 1,500 workers voted in favour of strikes in protest at planned job losses at Tata.
Unite is fighting Tata’s plans to shut down blast furnaces and replace them with more environmentally friendly electric arc furnaces.
The union 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.
A Tata Steel spokesperson said: “Following the announcement in January of the company’s plans to invest £1.25 billion and to restructure the UK business, we started a formal information-sharing and consultation process with our trades union colleagues, which continues in an open, collaborative and constructive fashion.
“On March 22, we put forward a significantly enhanced, comprehensive package of support for employees impacted by the proposed transformation.
“We are naturally disappointed that while consultation continues, Unite members at Port Talbot and Llanwern have indicated that they would be prepared to take industrial action up to and including strike action if an agreement cannot be reached on a way forward for the business and its employees.
“We have written to Unite twice during the ballot process to notify them of significant irregularities in the ballot process they have undertaken.”
TalkToday’s Nick Ellerby speaks to Ben Cottam, the head of Wales at the Federation of Small Businesses who explains the impact of planned closures.
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#steel #porttalbot #wales

Пікірлер: 30

@michaelhart895 3 ай бұрын

What sort of a country hands critical industries over to foreign hands in the first place . Utter madness .

@DavidGetling 3 ай бұрын

You mean what sort of government. That would be the idiots with PPE and humanities degrees that most people seem only too keen to elect. You only need your fingers to count the number of MPs with science, technology or maths degrees!

@redbeard3923 3 ай бұрын

And they expect a war what will we do with no steel

@imbonkers3629 3 ай бұрын

All these green jobs don’t you just love it 😊 and before you blame brexit , Germany as announced they are shutting down there steel factories, blaming high energy prices 😮

@imbonkers3629 3 ай бұрын

@@peterholden3672 green energy madness I’d say same for Germany if I’m honest , we have to meet our climate net zero target , can’t do that using lots of energy making steel

@whenshovelswereshovels3068 3 ай бұрын

Not a stable job left in Britain it’s criminal.

@imbonkers3629 3 ай бұрын

Plenty more to go and in eu 😮 sending our carbon abroad to meet net zero targets, so plenty of green jobs but there in China

@DavidGetling 3 ай бұрын

I wonder if the government ever really does its sums properly: I somehow doubt it. How often does the lower cost of importing something outweigh the cost of benefits for those who are no longer working? Also, how important is it not to be dependent on overseas suppliers? Of course, if the government, or rather us taxpayers, bails something out then it should not be left in the hands of foreign owners.

@thequagmire7882 3 ай бұрын

Great let's import all our steel that great for the environment well done.

@mickymondo7463 3 ай бұрын

This is ridiculous, production of steel from iron ore is a vital strategic industry without the ability to produce our own steel from ore we cease to have any ability to be independent and become reliant upon imports from foreign nations. The government needs to step in and take over these furnaces and keep steel production going as a matter of national security

@kenthall319 3 ай бұрын

Closed the mines. Now the Steel works. Just have to go back to raking cockles?

@dianeirvine7624 3 ай бұрын

Trouble in the uk is this government has made it so expensive to live , every commodity produced here is way over the top on price compared to China , India . It’s cheaper to import . Any thing not making money , send it abroad to be produced and them import it . That’s why the steel industry shut . We do not invest in our own people what do you expect , we are heading for one of the richest countries with the poorest people

@adrianbew9641 3 ай бұрын

The government should take it over as its remaining open is in the countries best interest, especially in the present potential war climate. We cannot be dependant on foreign imports.

@DavidGetling 3 ай бұрын

I tend to agree. But one of the main reasons governments of both parties hate nationalised services and industries is that it means they have to deal directly with striking unions.

@garethdavies2538 2 ай бұрын

It's losing one million pounds a day and I suspect that any UK government would hesitate to take on that burden. I'm surprised that Tata hasn't donated it to the UK government and simply walked away.

@kenthall319 3 ай бұрын

The country is sitting on coal n iron ore, surrounded by seas full of fish………

@kenthall319 3 ай бұрын

Well, at least the vegetation that has suffered from acid rain, will get a break.

@davidmcdonald1441 3 ай бұрын

What is the cost of electricity for the ark furnace no way will it happen

@nigelaston2546 3 ай бұрын

highest energy prices in europe

@barriewhiteley1692 3 ай бұрын

Should never go on strike what can you say

@DW-dd4iw 3 ай бұрын

Hopefully I've got my sums right: 0.041% amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, of which 3% is from humans. That's 0.00123%. The UK accounts for 1% of human CO2 emissions worldwide, so that's 0.0000123. Port Talbot emits 3%, so it accounts for 0.000000369% in worldwide CO2 emissions. Basically, it's a drop in the ocean for CO2 if Port Talbot remains opens. Particularly as China is building a new coal fired power station each week (on average).

@davidbarlow350 3 ай бұрын

Meanwhile China is building 2 coal fired power stations a week ,and laughing it's arse off at the gullibility and stupidity of UK politicians bowing down to their corporate masters.