After more than 100-years the UK’s largest steelworks is set to cease production with the loss of thousands of jobs.
Tata Steel’s plant in Port Talbot, South Wales will permanently close at 5pm on Monday and Blast 4 Furnace will make the last steel on Monday evening.
Tata UK’s chief executive Rajesh Nair said that it will be a “difficult day” for all affected and there will a lot of “emotion and reflection,” Sky News reports.
The government are paying £500 million out of a transition that will cost £1,25 billion to change to producing “low-CO2 green steel” with the loss of 3,000 jobs.
Tata Steel said in a statement this is “a significant event in the history of iron and steelmaking in the UK as the legacy steelmaking assets in Port Talbot close, having reached their end-of-life.”
Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community Union said, “It’s also a moment of huge frustration – it simply didn’t have to be this way.”
“Last year Community and GMB published a credible alternative plan for Port Talbot which would have ensured a fair transition to green steelmaking and prevented compulsory redundancies. Tata’s decision to reject that plan will go down as an historic missed opportunity,” he added.
Secretary of state for Wales and chair of the Transition Board, Jo Stevens, said, “Businesses and workers that supply Tata have been feeling the impact of the changes at Port Talbot for months.
“That’s why I announced this £13.5m fund within weeks of the new UK government coming into office, and have worked at pace with partners in Welsh government and the council to get applications open.
“I encourage affected businesses to come forward and check their eligibility for this financial support, as part of the wider support package we are putting in place. This government will back workers and businesses whatever happens.”
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