This flagrant disregard

Reps from unions including Unite, the GMB, and Community left a meeting with Tata Steel company representatives yesterday (May 21) bitterly disappointed.

 
In a joint statement, the unions said that the company has stubbornly continued in its refusal to listen to the views of its employees, after it put forward no changes to the proposal to close the British Steel pension scheme.

 
“In the interests of constructive and co-operative engagement, we took the opportunity to ask company representatives, in light of the strength of feedback in the consultation, if there is any change in their position as regards the proposal to close the scheme,” the statement read.

 
“After a short adjournment, they said that their position remains unchanged.”

 
The unions have argued that what transpired at the meeting led them to believe that “the entire individual consultation process is a sham and that the company has taken no notice of the views of their employees.

 
“No doubt Tata will try and claim that the meeting is an example of the company talking to the unions,” the statement went on to say. “But as we have said throughout, talk should be meaningful.

 
“The meeting was nothing of the sort.”

 
“In light of this flagrant disregard for the views of their employees, all unions are united in their call for members to vote YES YES for industrial action,” the statement concluded.

 
If a strike were to go forward, it will be the first national industrial action in the industry in 30 years.

 
Read the full joint statement here, and stay tuned on UniteLive for the latest on the industrial action ballot, which is set to open early next week.