Tata is radically transforming its south Wales operations to deal with financial losses and to reduce its carbon emissions.
The Welsh Secretary, David TC Davies, said the UK government’s financial support for the new electric arc furnace stopped Tata “from pulling out of steel making in the UK” which would have put the total UK workforce of 8000 people at risk.
He is chairing a transition board with up to £100m “to invest in skills and regeneration programmes for the local area”.
Despite Tata’s warning that “enhanced” redundancy packages will be reduced if industrial action is carried out, all the steel unions are vowing to strike unless the company changes its plans.
The largest steelworkers’ union, Community, and the GMB union are both currently balloting members.
Both ballots close on 9 May and Unite’s ballot has ended with a vote in favour of industrial action.
Unions said they will continue to call for a transition period to avoid compulsory redundancies and ensure a “just transition” to greener steelmaking in south Wales.
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