Unions call for Government support to save steel-making jobs

Trade unions have presented British Steel with a plan to keep two blast furnaces open in Scunthorpe and save thousands of jobs.
Unions GMB, Community and Unite met with bosses from British Steel owner Jingye this week and submitted their plan to maintain a two blast furnace operation throughout the transition to low carbon steelmaking.
The proposals were prepared by independent steel consultants Syndex on behalf of the unions.
British Steel was granted planning permission last year to build an Electric Arc Furnace at its Scunthorpe headquarters.
Trade union bosses had warned the new replacement furnace could lead to the loss of up to 2,000 jobs in Northern Lincolnshire, as British Steel is planning to shut its existing blast furnaces.
Electric arc furnaces can repurpose scrap steel using power generated by renewables. But the end product is not the same grade of steel and is not suitable for all industrial uses.
Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB national officer, said: “The multi-union plan means Scunthorpe having both blast furnaces open as the site transitions to low carbon steelmaking.
“We believe that keeping the blast furnaces running is vital as it will reduce the risks of the transition and protect thousands of jobs.
“Jingye warmed to the proposal and agreed there were strong arguments for maintaining the blast furnaces.
“But the major barrier is the additional carbon costs to be paid under Government policy regulations.
“For our plan to be viable we need Ministers to provide relief from these policy costs, just as other European countries have done.
“Thousands of jobs and primary steelmaking cannot be lost because carbon costs rule out British Steel pursing a sensible and just transition to low carbon steelmaking.”