{"id":8100,"date":"2016-03-11T16:08:05","date_gmt":"2016-03-11T16:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=8100"},"modified":"2016-03-14T15:04:47","modified_gmt":"2016-03-14T15:04:47","slug":"actions-not-words-plea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=8100","title":{"rendered":"Actions, not words plea"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Unite steelworkers in Wales took their fight to save steel at the Welsh Conservative spring conference today (March 11).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dozens descended to demonstrate against the UK government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s continued inaction at a rally outside the Llangollen rugby club in North Wales, where prime minister David Cameron addressed the conference.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thousands of steel jobs have been wiped out in Wales and across the UK. Most recently, Tata Steel in Port Talbot confirmed earlier this year that more than a 1,000 jobs would go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite rep and Port Talbot steelworker Mark Turner noted that the turnout at the rally was impressive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Strong message<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe had steelworkers from all over Wales, both north and south,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAlthough some of those attending the conference tried to ignore us, we sent a strong message that the Tories can no longer ignore.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Several speakers addressed the rally for steel, including Turner,\u00c2\u00a0 Assembly candidate (Delyn) and Unite member Hannah Blythyn, Unite secretary for Wales Andy Richards and Labour Wales Assembly Member for Port Talbot David Rees.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe demanded that the UK government take action and support the government in Wales to help the steel industry here before it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too late,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Turner said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite SIMA branch Shotton works chair Anthony Simpson attended the rally to represent his steel community from Shotton.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe came out in full force today to demonstrate our resolve for the future of our industry,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bShotton members are amazed at the lacklustre, impotent response from the UK government so far on the issues we face. We are grateful for the resolve of the Welsh government and Unite in this fight.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe need actions not comforting words,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turner explained the role that the Labour government in Wales has played in supporting the steel industry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe government in Wales is doing all it can \u00e2\u20ac\u201c for example we have a public procurement programme that strongly favours UK producers,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he noted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut there are limits to what the devolved government here can do. Things like relief on business rates can only become a reality if they are approved by the UK government.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite secretary for Wales Andy Richards agreed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere is a strong Welsh consensus about the actions needed to save the steel industry in Wales,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bTrade unions, Welsh politicians and Tata itself have all pointed to the same underlying issues causing this crisis.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe Welsh government is doing everything in their power to assist but it is clear that this crisis can only be resolved by decisive action at UK government level.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bDavid Cameron should be telling his Welsh colleagues that he is resolved to take the action needed to deal with Chinese steel dumping, high energy costs and green levies,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Richards added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bHe should use his speech to Welsh Conservative conference to show that he is determined to stand up for Welsh steel communities.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut we fear his silence and inaction so far indicates that he does not have the resolve or the inclination to support a strategically important part of Welsh and the UK economy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bInaction by Cameron and his Conservative government in Westminster to decisively support the steel industry now threatens the very future of the UK and Welsh steel industry,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he went on to say. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf the Prime Minister fails to act then he will long be associated with the tragic extinction of a crucial part of our economic base.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Turner also highlighted that time was running out. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhat many people don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand about the steel industry is that once it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lost, it cannot be easily resurrected \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be lost forever.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bNearly everything we see and touch has steel in it,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf we allow our steel industry to fail, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be completely beholden to the open market. Then we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be forced to pay sky high prices that we cannot afford \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it will be disastrous for the wider economy. The government must act now before it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too late.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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

Unite steelworkers in Wales took their fight to save steel at the Welsh Conservative spring conference today (March 11).   Dozens descended to demonstrate against the UK government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s continued inaction at a rally outside the Llangollen rugby club in North Wales, where prime minister David Cameron addressed the conference.   Thousands of steel jobs have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8101,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[430,269],"wps_subtitle":"Steel workers lobby Welsh Tories ","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8100"}],"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=8100"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8226,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8100\/revisions\/8226"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}