‘Steel heart’ strategy plea

As the business secretary Sajid Javid opens today’s steel industry summit (October 16), Unite has demanded the government “pursues an industrial strategy with a ‘steel heart’.”

Unions, business leaders and ministers are discussing the future of steel at the summit in Rotherham, called in the wake of the closure of the SSI plant in Redcar, Teesside.

Some 2,200 jobs have been lost as a result of the closure – and unions are making it very clear to ministers – urgent short-term action is vital to support the industry.

Among the changes being requested by the unions are help on energy costs for British producers and action to stop dumping in the market by foreign firms.

Business secretary Sajid Javid who is chairing today’s summit, released a statement ahead of it warning there apparently there was “no silver bullet” that the government could have used to save the plant.

He said, “This is a hugely difficult time for the steel industry across the world – one of the toughest times ever,” he said.

“There is no magic bullet and we can’t change the price of steel, but we can forensically work through all of the challenges we know the industry is facing to see what solutions there might be.”

He continued, “It is a worldwide problem, and while it will not be solved overnight, we will work closely in partnership with the industry to help find some answers…”

Unions

But in this vow to work with the industry, unions were not mentioned.

Attending the meeting are Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke and national officer Harish Patel.

Just before the meeting Tony spoke of his concerns. He said, “The steel industry is at crisis point. Unless the government pursues an industrial strategy with a ‘steel heart’ then soundbites like Northern Powerhouse and March of the Makers will be nothing more than empty rhetoric for communities who rely on skilled jobs in steel and manufacturing.

“Ministers need to start by keeping the coke ovens at Redcar burning and supporting the wider steel industry through these turbulent times, so that British industry can benefit from major infrastructure projects, such as HS2.

“A failure to do so will torpedo any ambition to rebalance the economy and lay waste to communities and key industrial assets. The clock is ticking.

“It’s time for the government to stop washing its hands of the industry and intervene to support steel.

“The Germans do it through an active industrial strategy and the Italians do it by intervening directly in their steel industry making a mockery of ministers’ claims that EU rules forbid it.”