Three largest Tata Steel unions split over number of Port Talbot job losses

  • Assistant General Secretary for the Community Union, Alasdair McDiarmid

Three of the largest unions representing steelworkers in Port Talbot are split over the potential number of job losses at the Tata plant.

The Community and GMB unions have released a proposal to save more than 2,000 jobs over a decade by keeping one of the steelwork's blast furnaces open for longer, causing a division with the Unite union.

Tata wants to safeguard the future of the site by decarbonising its manufacturing process. Credit: PA Images

Unite has distanced itself from the plan, saying no jobs should be lost and they now have another vision for the plant's future.

It said: "Unite does not accept the need for one single job to be lost. We will not accept the bosses' plan or any plan that leads to job cuts."

Speaking to ITV Wales, the Assistant General Secretary for the Community Union, Alasdair McDiarmid, said he was very disappointed that Unite had chosen to go in a different direction. "Clearly the stakes are really high," he added, "there are thousands of jobs on the line.

"Tata delayed its announcement to wait for the outcome of our review and the company has indicated that they want to continue with those discussions, so that's what we are going to do, along with the GMB Union."

Tata wants to decarbonise its site at Port Talbot under moves to safeguard its future but unions fear the plan would lead to around 3,000 job losses.

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