British unions plan to go on strike on June 22 at Tata Steel

The unions representing the workers of Tata Steel (TISC. NS) in Britain will go on strike on June 22, the GMB union said, marking the biggest industrial action in the British metals industry in three decades.

Other unions involved in the action are Community, Unite and UCATT. The four unions are in dispute with the company because of the proposed changes to the final pension scheme.

„It’s time for Tata Steel to sit down at the negotiating table. And find a way to resolve this dispute. Our members are ready for industrial action and society should heed the message that the workforce provides,” said Dave Hulse, GMB National Officer.

The first strike in the British metals industry in many years

About 13,000 workers are involved in the dispute, and the strike will be the first in the steel industry in 35 years.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community union, said: „My father gave us no option, only to resort to collective action. The company has shown no willingness to return to meaningful negotiations to end this dispute. Our members are determined to defend their rights.”

Employees may have to retire at 60 instead of 65, according to changes planned by the Father, who has steel mills in Wales, including Port Talbot and Newport, and England, in places such as Scunthorpe and Rotherham.

Tata Steel said it would soon announce new measures to reduce the impact of proposed changes to the pension scheme. As it is said to have an estimated deficit of over £2 billion.

„We hope that these important changes will be welcomed by employees and that unions will reconsider collective action,” the company said.

The threat of a strike is seen as a possible deterrent to future investment in the British steel industry. Struggling to produce profitably despite government measures to help the sector grow.

The parent company, India Tata Steel Ltd, reported a quarterly loss of $889 million. Being accentuated by a consistent depreciation of its activity in the UK.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/08/tata-steel-uk-workers-uk-strike-dispute-pensions

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/06/08/uk-steel-tata-strike-idUKKBN0OO1JU20150608

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