Steelworkers gather in Westminster: We cannot let the industry die

Steelworkers gather in Westminster to lobby MPs to prevent further job losses in the UK steel industry Credit: Nick Ansell/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Steelworkers have called for urgent Government action after a wave of job losses across the country.

Workers have put pressure on MPs in Parliament before a debate on the steel industry which will see Labour push for immediate measures to prevent further job cuts.

Thousands of steelworkers have lost their jobs in the last month following the closure of SSI UK and Tata Steel plants in Redcar, Scunthorpe and Scotland.

Cheap imports and high energy and emissions costs have been blamed for the closures, with further job losses being threatened at Caparo Industries, which has gone into administration. The steel processing firm has 20 sites across the UK.

Steelworkers wearing t-shirts with the slogan 'Save Our Steel' gathered in Westminster to draw ministers' attention to the urgency of the crisis.

Unions organised the gathering amid fears of further job cuts.Kevin Cook, who has worked at the SSI steelworks in Redcar for 39 years, said workers were still "shell shocked" by the closure of the plant, with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs.

He revealed that workers with less than three years' service have only received two weeks' redundancy pay, which is capped at £475 per week.

1,200 job losses have been announced at the Tata Steel plant in Scunthorpe Credit: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire/Press Association Images

John Laurens has worked as a steelworker at the Scunthorpe plant for 35 years. He said he believed there was still a chance the 1,200 jobs under threat at the Tata site in Lincolnshire could be saved.

Jason Wyatt, an electrician at the giant Port Talbot works in South Wales, said there was apprehension in the area because of the state of the industry.

Andy Trigg, who works at Tata's steel tubes plant at Corby in Northamptonshire, said he was lobbying MPs to support workers losing or fearing for their jobs.

Steel workers unfurl a banner in Parliament Square, London, during a protest calling on the government to help save the UK steel industry. Credit: Nick Ansell/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Tony Pearson, who works on a separate part of the Redcar site to the SSI business, said the closure had created huge problems for the area.

The Business Secretary said he will tell officials in Brussels that urgent action across Europe is needed to tackle the crisis in the steel industry. Mr Javid is calling for an emergency European Union meeting to discuss the state of the industry and unfair trade practices.

The Business Secretary Sajid Javid is calling for an emergency EU meeting to discuss the state of the steelmaking industry Credit: Nick Ansell/PA Wire