Crisis point

Britain’s steel industry is at ‘crisis point’ warned Unite as it urged the government to step up its support for the troubled industry.

The call follows today’s (September 18) decision by SSI to ‘pause’ iron and steelmaking operations at its Teesside steel plant because of issues with the supply of raw materials and services.

The coke ovens and power station on the site in Redcar will continue to operate at a reduced level, but production at the south bank coke ovens will cease and the plant mothballed.

“We will be meeting urgently with the company and assisting our members and their families through this difficult and worrying time,” said Unite national officer for steel Harish Patel.

“The news is yet another blow to steelmaking in the UK and devastating news for the local economy and the people whose livelihoods depend on steel making at Redcar,” he added.

“Britain’s steel industry is at crisis point due to high energy costs and difficult market conditions. The UK government needs to follow the lead of their French, Italian and German counterparts and step up support for steelmaking here in the UK as part of a wider industrial strategy to rebalance the economy.”