Unions fight for future of steel

Dec 15 2009 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette

FURTHER talks over the future of Teesside Cast Products are scheduled for today as Michael Leahy, leader of the Community union, is due to meet with Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

The meeting follows talks on Teesside yesterday which brought local and national union officers around the table to continue the fight for the region’s steel industry.

The clock is ticking to salvage a future for TCP - which is due to be mothballed in January with the loss of 1,700 jobs.

But Geoff Waterfield, chairman of the multi union committee on Teesside, said as well as the impact on direct Corus staff, the new year mothballing would also impact on hundreds of contract staff.

“The figure is likely to be nearer 2,500 people,” he added.

“And then there will be impact further along the supply chain.”

He said today’s meeting with Lord Mandelson would impress on the Business Secretary the ramifications for the local community of mothballing the Teesside site.

“The costs to the community would be immense - and we’re being very clear about that cost.

“It’s far cheaper to support the site in the short term.”

Further talks are also planned between steel chiefs and unions later this week.

Mr Waterfield said discussions were due to be held on Thursday with Tata bosses and Corus chief executive Kirby Adams.

“There’s a lot of questions we want answers to,” added Mr Waterfield.

“We hope to get those answers on Thursday.”

MEANWHILE a survey carried out by ComRes - on behalf of BBC Tees - has show three quarters (76%) of people in Teesside think the regional economy will get worse in the next 12 months.

The report also found 77% of the 500 people questioned belive the Government should use taxpayers' money to help the steel industry.

Plus 91% of people in Teesside think that it is important that steel is produced on Teesside - with 69% saying it is “very important”.