It is reported that an unprecedented cutback in production has seen the 250 staff in the Corus Rod Mill working a bare 15 shift week since last Christmas as part of the weathering the storm cost cutting campaign.

But talks have been successfully completed with the two main steel unions community and unite to increase the shifts from 15 to 20 per week until further notice.

The news is a boost for Corus after it was announced that the company's Teesside site looks set to be mothballed with the loss of 2,000 jobs.

Mr Bill Gray, the senior convener for 1,000 craft workers on the Scunthorpe site, said that "This is really good news for the workforce, Corus and people of North Lincolnshire. We are hoping things are starting to getting better in the steel industry."

Mr Rob Simpson spokesman of Corus said that "We have the opportunity to secure additional orders for the rod mill which would mean increasing the number of shifts worked from 15 to 20. We have reached agreement with the unions on this and will be looking to implement the new shift patterns as soon as possible. We continue to review production levels across the site based on customer demand."

(Sourced from www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk)