Newport East MP Jessica Morden has called on Tata Steel to re-think its decarbonisation plan which would cut thousands of jobs, after meeting with union leaders.

The meeting, held on Friday, April 19, took place as the biggest steelworker union, Community. The union is balloting its members in Llanwern, Port Talbot and its other sites on industrial action until the beginning of May.

The union said they 'won't be bullied' into accepting a plan which would be 'devastating' for steelmaking communities across Wales.

South Wales Argus: The union said they 'won't be bullied' into accepting a plan which would devastate the local communityThe union said they 'won't be bullied' into accepting a plan which would devastate the local community (Image: Community Union)

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community Union; Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general secretary of Community Union; and Alun Davies, Community's national officer for steel.

Ms Morden said: "It is clear that Tata and Rishi Sunak's bad deal for steel workers would represent a huge blow to our steel industry and steel communities, like our own in Newport.

"The deal would leave the UK dependent on imported steel from heavy-polluting countries at a time of global uncertainty."

The MP for Newport East said the deal would be a loss for the UK steel industry and would rely on imported steel from "heavy-polluting countries at a time of global uncertainty."

South Wales Argus: Union members and Jessica Morden MP in front of billboard asking union members to Vote yes to save steel jobsUnion members and Jessica Morden MP in front of billboard asking union members to Vote yes to save steel jobs (Image: Community Union)

"It doesn't have to be this way, and the Multi-Union Plan for steel which Community and GMB have put forward represents a viable alternative to protect jobs and preserve steelmaking capacity here in South Wales. I urge Tata to think again and change course from their damaging proposals."

A union leader who attended the meeting, Roy Rickhuss CBE, Community's general secretary, said: "Tata's bad deal for steel would be devastating for our steel industry.

 

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"It would see skilled jobs lost at vital sites like Llanwern, and dirty steel products imported from overseas.

"The Tata plan is bad for jobs, bad for the environment and bad for proud steelmaking communities across South Wales. It's unviable, undeliverable and unacceptable, and our members won't be bullied or intimidated into accepting it.

"Industrial action is always a last resort for any worker, but our members know that we now have to fight to save our industry, and we must use every tool at our disposal to apply pressure on Tata to change course."