BBC has reported that British steel sector’s workers union Unite has warned that UK steel industry, which supports thousands of jobs, is a whisker away from collapse. Unite has accused the government of taking little meaningful action to help the industry, leaving the sector at breaking point. Unite's Assistant General Secretary Mr Steve Turner, writing on behalf of two other unions as well Community and GMB, has written a letter to UK’s Business Secretary Mr Grant Shapps seeking an urgent meeting to push for more support. Mr Turner wrote that “The challenges faced by manufacturers like British Steel, Tata Steel, and Liberty Steel were the consequences of direct actions by your government that have significantly undermined UK plant competitiveness in global markets. With little meaningful action on the part of government in areas of UK procurement policy, energy pricing support, green energy generation or support for investment in new plant and technologies, the industry is at breaking point. We are, in the words of many, a whisker away from collapse.” Mr Turner wrote “UK steel employs tens of thousands of skilled workers and hundreds of apprentices, and asked for an urgent meeting to discuss current and future government policy to support the sector.” Responding to the letter, a spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said “The government recognises the vital role that steel plays within the UK economy, supporting local jobs and economic growth. It is committed to securing a sustainable and competitive future for the UK steel sector, considers the success of the steel sector a priority and continues to work closely with industry to achieve this.”
BBC has reported that British steel sector’s workers union Unite has warned that UK steel industry, which supports thousands of jobs, is a whisker away from collapse. Unite has accused the government of taking little meaningful action to help the industry, leaving the sector at breaking point. Unite's Assistant General Secretary Mr Steve Turner, writing on behalf of two other unions as well Community and GMB, has written a letter to UK’s Business Secretary Mr Grant Shapps seeking an urgent meeting to push for more support. Mr Turner wrote that “The challenges faced by manufacturers like British Steel, Tata Steel, and Liberty Steel were the consequences of direct actions by your government that have significantly undermined UK plant competitiveness in global markets. With little meaningful action on the part of government in areas of UK procurement policy, energy pricing support, green energy generation or support for investment in new plant and technologies, the industry is at breaking point. We are, in the words of many, a whisker away from collapse.” Mr Turner wrote “UK steel employs tens of thousands of skilled workers and hundreds of apprentices, and asked for an urgent meeting to discuss current and future government policy to support the sector.” Responding to the letter, a spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said “The government recognises the vital role that steel plays within the UK economy, supporting local jobs and economic growth. It is committed to securing a sustainable and competitive future for the UK steel sector, considers the success of the steel sector a priority and continues to work closely with industry to achieve this.”
