Unions' strike vote over Corus closure
THE return of the Scunthorpe steelworks to a three blast furnace operation remains overshadowed by the threat of strike action.
Leaders from the company's four main trade unions meet in London later today to draw up their plans for a ballot on whether to take industrial action, over the closure of the Corus plant at Teesside with the loss of 1,600 jobs.
Earlier the unions, Community, GMB, Unite and UCATT, had given Corus a 14-day stay of execution to allow the company time to open good faith negotiations with potential buyers for Teesside Cast Products (TCP) at Redcar.
Today, the national steel co-ordinating committee will consider what action, if any, Corus has made.
Michael Leahy OBE, the national general secretary of Scunthorpe's main steel union Community, warned: "Time is running out for Teesside, yet Corus seems to continue to just defend its decision.
"Despite close to 1,600 redundancies and the loss of key skills that will cripple the potential for future growth in the industry, Corus seems to simply be going through the motions.
"Community Union is again calling upon Corus to demonstrate good faith negotiations with the interested parties to keep Teesside a going concern.
"The lack of action from Corus is a deliberate slap in the face to every loyal and dedicated steel worker across the country.
"Reluctantly, Community and the other trade unions will continue to explore the potential for 'last resort' industrial action."
For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
15 Comments
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by john, scunthorpe
Wednesday, March 24 2010, 9:37AM
“last nights story on raw material uplift prices is another nail in Sc unthorpexss coffin, with further increases in transport costs I can see the site just being a reroller before long with no steel production at all.”
by pete, brigg
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 12:13AM
“Teeside lads, dont despair too much, look to india, there are some high paid contracting jobs over the next 3-5 years getting the industry there up and running
I know it means worjing away but it will make you financially secure, they are looking for every aspect from coke oven operatives to blast furnace to rolling mills as well as maintenance training”
by cap'n kirk, on micks knee
Monday, March 15 2010, 9:24PM
“maggies man
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by maggies man, collecting school milk
Monday, March 15 2010, 9:18PM
“Them BA cabin crews will be locked out when they try to come back to work for three days between strikes then we'll see what unions are made of”
by BA backereruss, On strike
Monday, March 15 2010, 9:14PM
“i'm in unite only cost a tener n wen they wont us to back the cabin crew lads i'll be on the picket line”
by big bucks at BOS, in me pulpit
Monday, March 15 2010, 9:11PM
“me, my gaff, only £17 a month? I pay £26 cos I've loadsamoney!!!:)”
by Me, My gaff
Monday, March 15 2010, 8:36PM
“I pay £17+ per month to Community union to find out their plans (sorry, our plans, 'brothers'..HA !!) via this website !!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by northern scum, beautiful south
Monday, March 15 2010, 5:38PM
“since kirby adams took over we've seen shabby treatment of corus workforce at all plants including netherlands. either he is the problem or he was put there to be the problem.”
by Iron Hoof, Scunthorpe
Monday, March 15 2010, 2:58PM
“Are tata still loking for someone to take the plant in Redcar over or is it a case of they won't find a buyer as then they would have competition ? If someone bought it now it could run vitually straght away once it is put in Mothballs it is then a different animal no one will want the huge cost of bringing everything back on line.”
by Steve H, Scunthorpe
Monday, March 15 2010, 2:08PM
“We too have had our Steelworks closures, Back in the early 80s they shut Normanby Park & the Redbourn Steelworks, so we know how hard things can be.”