Breaking: steel strike on

Steel unions have agreed Monday, June 22, as the date for strike action at Tata Steel in their ongoing dispute over pensions. The strike action will be preceded by action short of strike action involving an overtime ban and a work to rule. The action short of strike action will begin as soon as legally practical around the middle of next week.

Unite national officer Paul Reuter explained why the unions representing Tata steel workers , including Unite, Community, GMB and Ucatt, jointly agreed to follow through with industrial action.

“Strike action is the last resort for our members, but they’ve singled very clearly that they are not prepared to stand by and see the retirement they have worked so hard for, in such a physically demanding environment, robbed from them,” he said.

“We have offered the savings the company says it needs. Instead, Tata Steel UK wants to financially penalise its workforce and force it to work another five years to get their full pension,” Reuter added.

“We would urge the company to do the right thing and enter into further meaningful talks to avoid the disruption of industrial action.”

Before the ballot first opened, 25-year-old electrician and Unite member Charlotte Upton explained to UNITElive exactly what’s at stake in the pensions dispute, which, if leading to strike action, will be the first of its kind among Tata steel workers in 30 years.

Unions must give seven days’ notice of any industrial action.