Thousands out of a job as Tata closes UK blast furnaces

The loss of nearly 3 000 jobs with Tata Steel in the UK have been confirmed by the company.

Tata has struck a deal with the British Government which is giving a £500 million (EUR 592 million) grant towards the costs of switching from blast furnaces to a new electric arc furnace at Port Talbot in South Wales.

About 2 500 workers are set to be made redundant with a further 300 expected to go later. Assurances Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds admitted the package fell short of ‘what would be my ideal’ but said workers now had more protection with assurances from Tata on future jobs and investment.

Tata is offering staff at risk of compulsory redundancy a training programme providing ‘recognised qualifications in sought-after skills’.

The company says it is offering its best redundancy package to workers losing their job. The firm expects at least 500 jobs to be created to construct the electric arc furnace.

Tata has one of the two blast furnaces at Port Talbot with the second due to close at the end of September.