It is reported that members of Britain's Steel Alliance has accused union leaders on the Scunthorpe Corus works of not doing enough to stop the loss of nearly 1,000 jobs in the town so far this year.

Mr Coun Mick Grant, who represents North Lincolnshire Council on the Alliance, said that "The unions have to act tougher. They need to be proactive and show the Corus management that enough is enough."

But Mr Coun Grant, who worked in the local steel industry for 30 years until 2002 and was himself an official of the main steel union Community, said that he would draw the line at taking strike action. He added that "There are plenty of other things they can say and do to show they mean business. At the minute all they are doing is lying down and letting Corus walk all over them."

Mr Bill Gray co deputy chairman of the Scunthorpe works multi union committee said that "We are disappointed by Mr Coun Grant's attitude. We are supposed to be working together, the council, the unions, MPs and the Alliance, to save jobs in Scunthorpe and secure the future of the industry. But for some reason only known to himself he chooses to attack the unions, instead of talking to us."

Mr Coun Grant's challenge to the unions came ahead of a meeting of the National Steel Committee in Scunthorpe to discuss their reaction to the latest job cull of 366 jobs at the Scunthorpe works on top of 500 announced last month.

(Sourced from www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk)