Tata Steel starts voluntary redundancy process
Tata Steel has begun asking employees if they would consider voluntary redundancy, according to the UK government following a meeting of its transition board.
Tata has asked employees to express interest in the process which will run until 7 August.
UK government ministers are conducting talks with the steel giant's representatives to try and save as many of the 2,800 at-risk-jobs as possible.
The company is set to close the second of its Port Talbot blast furnaces in September due to accumulating losses of £1m a day.
Plans are in place to build an electric arc furnace at the Port Talbot site, which will be able to produce greener steel.
Tata Steel says it has ambitions to produce net-zero steel by 2045 in the UK "at the latest" and plans to reduced 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030.
On Thursday, 11 July, recently-appointed Labour Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens conducted her first meeting as chair of the Tata Steel transition board.
It was set up by the previous Conservative UK government to support people and businesses affected by the plans, and includes representatives of businesses, unions, the Welsh government and local politicians.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has commissioned a 'rapid assessment' of how immediate support can be offered to those affected.
She said: "This Government is determined to do all it can to protect our Welsh steel industry and has immediately reset our approach on how we work with businesses and communities. We will work collaboratively with a single focus to support our steel industry and affected communities.
“But businesses and workers are already feeling the impact of Tata Steel’s transition. The time for talking is over... We will deliver for workers and businesses in Port Talbot and across South Wales, whatever happens.”
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