{"id":12305,"date":"2017-05-08T16:03:52","date_gmt":"2017-05-08T15:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=12305"},"modified":"2017-05-08T16:03:52","modified_gmt":"2017-05-08T15:03:52","slug":"proved-world-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=12305","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098We proved the world wrong\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been nearly a year since hundreds of steelworkers from across the UK descended on Parliament<\/a> in a march to save an industry that forms the bedrock of all UK manufacturing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the time, the sector was still reeling from the devastating shutdown of the SSI steelworks in Redcar in October 2015 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the coke ovens were extinguished<\/a> and a tradition stretching back almost a century ended as more than 2,000 jobs were lost.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The closure sent shock waves throughout the community, which revolved almost entirely around steel \u00e2\u20ac\u201c jobs in the wider supply chain evaporated as shops closed and overall unemployment skyrocketed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The massive Tata-owned Port Talbot steelworks was on the precipice of the same fate, with thousands more jobs on the line after it was haemorrhaging money each day in desperate search for a buyer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And although the Scunthorpe works had secured its own buyer, uncertainty reigned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The industry as a whole was gasping for breath after being inundated by cheap Chinese imports as the government washed its hands of responsibility, repudiating action it could have easily taken such as supporting EU hikes on tariffs and providing relief on business and energy rates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But a year on since that historic march — where protestors from three steel unions joined together in solidarity — against all odds, UK steel has survived.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The crisis is far from over \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, and it shines more brightly each day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stabilised<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe proved the world wrong,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says Unite Port Talbot rep Pasty Turner. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bJust a year ago we were up for sale struggling to find a buyer and now we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re actually making money.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the end, Tata decided to keep the beleaguered Port Talbot steelworks.\u00c2\u00a0 This year, steelworkers across Tata sites agreed to a deal<\/a> that sees a change to their pensions but brings in \u00c2\u01411bn in modernising investment and preserves nearly 8,000 jobs over the next five years.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just last week (May 2), international industrial group Liberty House completed a deal<\/a> buying Tata’s speciality steels division, a move that will secure 1,700 jobs and create 300 more jobs in South Yorkshire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And Tata Steel\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Long Products Division in Scunthorpe saw the revival of the British Steel brand<\/a> after investment firm Greybull Capital bought the site last year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

According to the firm, 100 days later, the massively loss-making site returned to profitability. Now, British Steel has agreed to reverse a pay cut it imposed on the workforce there as its fortunes improve.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite British Steel site convenor Martin Foster said that the last year has been a rollercoaster ride.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bA year ago, we didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even know whether any of us would have jobs. We had lost about \u00c2\u014185m in a year and no one wanted to work for us,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bNow, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re making a profit and while it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not dramatic, things are looking up. Our apprenticeship programme has been oversubscribed. People are clamouring to work for us and there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lots of pride in the British Steel name too.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not out of the woods but we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve stabilised.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Concerns<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In Port Talbot, Pasty Turner says there is on the one hand a \u00e2\u20ac\u015bsense of relief because we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still here\u00e2\u20ac\u0165.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut on the other hand, people are tired and they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re angry,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explains. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bPeople are angry at the changes to pensions and the many sacrifices the workforce has had to make and still our long-term future isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t secure.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite SIMA branch chair Anthony Simpson, who works at a site in Shotton, agrees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had to accept the closure of our pension scheme to future accrual and we haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t yet had any details about how it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to change,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been promised the earth by the UK government but they still haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t followed through with so many of the promises they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve made.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Simpson says the Shotton steelworks — which is and has always remained profitable even at the peak of the steel crisis last year — is still vulnerable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSkills retention remains a big problem,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bBecause there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still no overall stability in the steel industry, people are looking elsewhere for work.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

All three Unite steel reps expressed frustration that the UK government has made big noises about supporting the steel industry but for the most part its support has been too little, too late. On the other hand, the Labour Welsh government has gone above and beyond, Simpson notes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It has provided millions of pounds for research and development and has also supported enhancement programmes and has allowed councils to adjust business rates, among other measures.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn fact, what the Welsh government has done for Tata steel sites in Wales has brought stability to England,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said, explaining that the Corby site, a Tata-owned site in England, wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be running if it weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t for Welsh government support.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Action call<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Unite and other steel unions continue to press the government to take action to create a level playing field for their industry \u00e2\u20ac\u201c now doubly critical in an economic climate dominated by Brexit uncertainty.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBeyond action on tariff controls and energy prices, what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s most important is having a manufacturing strategy with a public procurement policy and a plan for skills,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 explained Unite national officer for steel Tony Brady. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut with the upcoming election, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all been kicked into the long grass.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhile we have seen stability in the sector, it will need massive investment in order to compete in the long-term. This can only happen if the next government creates an environment that enables the industry to succeed.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In an unprecedented move last week (May 3), three trade unions including Unite and seven industry bodies across UK manufacturing came together to demand that the next government take strong post-Brexit action against dumped imports, which hastened the steel crisis in the first place.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Together they detailed what action should be taken in a position paper<\/a> that was sent to policy chiefs in the main political parties.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bPost-Brexit the UK will be responsible for its own trade defence mechanisms which we need to be ahead of the game if we are to protect jobs and British industry,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Unite assistant general secretary Tony Burke.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite, other manufacturing unions and the trade associations which have taken the initiative believe we need robust defence structures which are simple and easy to use to protect decent jobs and our industries such as steel, ceramics, paper and tyres which are susceptible to dumping from countries such as China.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe want the next government to act swiftly and adopt these recommendations,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe cannot have our manufacturing industries faced with continuing uncertainty and bogged down in complex legal processes.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Campaign success<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

As steelworkers look to the future with cautious optimism, Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s steel reps look back on a union campaign that, they say, has made this future possible.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bOne thing is certain \u00e2\u20ac\u201c had we sat back and not done anything, the steelworks wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be open today,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Foster argues. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe Save our Steel campaign was the biggest steel campaign we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had in this country in decades and it helped in forcing the government to sit up and listen to us.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bEven if reluctantly, the government made concessions, such as on business rate relief because we were in the public eye constantly. They couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t ignore us.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Simpson agrees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe campaign kept us at the top of the media agenda,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he notes. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s only when public and media pressure is that strong do politicians start to address the issues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe campaign also showed steel members that their union was there for them, fighting their corner. When workers are facing so much uncertainty, that sort of very public, outspoken support showed members that they weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t alone \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that we were in this together with the full backing of the union. \u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For Pasty Turner, the reality is pretty straightforward.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf it weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t for the Welsh government and Unite, we wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be here today,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s that simple.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been nearly a year since hundreds of steelworkers from across the UK descended on Parliament in a march to save an industry that forms the bedrock of all UK manufacturing.   At the time, the sector was still reeling from the devastating shutdown of the SSI steelworks in Redcar in October 2015 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8844,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[503,430,269],"wps_subtitle":"A look back at the campaign that saved UK steel","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12305"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12305"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12306,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12305\/revisions\/12306"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}