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STEEL unions have blasted Tata Steel’s attempts to “intimidate” members against taking industrial action.
The reaction against the company today came after Tata Steel wrote to all staff after Unite members voted in favour of industrial action over plans to cut almost 3,000 jobs.
The letter said Tata Steel would not pay a significantly enhanced redundancy package if workers take industrial action.
The GMB and Community unions are currently balloting their members for industrial action at the UK’s largest steelworks in Port Talbot and Tata Steel’s site in Llanwern near Newport.
Unite regional secretary Peter Hughes said: “Since announcing its plans, Tata has repeatedly used the threat of cutting enhanced redundancy packages to try and intimidate the workforce.
“The company has also targeted individual workers and made unfounded accusations over ballot irregularities to undermine turnout.
“Despite the company’s efforts, and in the face of some of the most draconian trade union laws in the Western world, the workers voted for strike action.
“They will not be intimidated and, backed by the full power of Unite, will fight to make the company change course.”
A spokesman for steelworkers’ union Community said: “We won’t be bullied. Our priority is fighting for jobs and that’s exactly what we’re going to do — this is about the future of Port Talbot, Llanwern and generations of steelworkers to come.”
Unite told the Star that since it announced it was balloting its members for industrial action, Tata has gone to extraordinary lengths to undermine its workers’ rights and create a culture of fear.
This has included the threat to remove enhanced redundancy packages, offered by Tata Steel on March 22, when the ballot was announced and was followed with complaints and allegations about the balloting process.
Tata Steel said that Unite had notified the company of its ballot result on April 15 and gave the Star what it claimed was Unite’s ballot turnout and voting figures. The union has not verified this.
The company did not answer the union allegations of intimidation we put to it, but said it was “disappointed that while consultation continues, Unite has balloted their members.”
Tata Steel said it has twice written to Unite about what it claimed were “significant irregularities” in the ballot process and will consider its next steps.
The union said its ballot was undertaken by independent scrutineers Civica Election Services, which has not raised any concerns about the process.
