Business
Steelworkers’ Union presses Tata to adopt expert plan ahead of talks
THE Steelworkers’ union, Community, is pressing Tata Steel UK to scrap its bad deal for steel and commit to the alternative Multi-Union Plan ahead of crucial talks with the company this week.
The call follows a meeting between steel unions and Tata officials last week, and the publication of a new report from industry experts Syndex which slams Tata’s approach for pursuing ‘what’s cheap’ over ‘what’s best’. The report highlights that the company’s current proposal – which would cut around 2,800 jobs in South Wales by moving production at Port Talbot to a single 3mt Electric Arc Furnace – comes with significant risks, and would make Tata Steel UK an outlier in Europe.
In contrast, Syndex describes the Multi-Union Plan as “the only solution offering to maintain all the volume currently produced by Tata Steel UK” providing “a future for all the company’s assets and a roadmap for a just transition under the constraint of the financial hurdles and the reality of market dynamics for the UK steel industry.”
Community General Secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “During our meeting with Tata last week, members of the National Trade Union Steel Coordinating Committee provided our final conclusions on the company’s restructuring proposals: namely that the company’s plan is reckless; that it weakens national security by removing Britain’s primary steelmaking capacity; and that it would have devastating consequences for steel communities in South Wales and beyond.
“Our Multi-Union Plan is a credible alternative to Tata’s destructive scheme. It would safeguard the future of Port Talbot steelmaking, protect all the downstream plants, save thousands of jobs and can be delivered with no compulsory redundancies.
“It is not too late for Tata to do the right thing and adopt the Multi-Union Plan – and we hope that they will take this step. However, should the company choose to reject it, we will fight them every step of the way. To enable us to do this, we will need the strongest possible mandate from our ongoing industrial action ballot. For that reason, I am urging all our members to vote ‘YES’ and ‘YES’ and return their ballot papers at the earliest opportunity.”
Community’s Assistant General Secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said: “Syndex’s new report demonstrates clearly that our Multi-Union Plan is viable and sustainable, whilst Tata’s proposals are reckless and harmful. The company must change course, and the UK Government need to step up too. Our alternative plan would require additional investment from the government – taking total public support for the decarbonisation of Port Talbot to £950m overall – but this is still significantly less than the support packages other governments are providing to green their steel industries. It’s also in line with the £3bn Green Steel Fund the Labour Party has guaranteed to deliver in the next parliament.
“We are at a critical moment, and the choices that Tata and the government make now will reverberate for generations to come. The fundamental question here is whether we want to be a country that makes its own steel, or a country that imports it – as would be inevitable under Tata’s damaging proposal. With the spectre of a CBAM exemption for India hanging over free trade talks, we risk under current plans becoming little more than a simple processor for imported Indian Steel. We can’t allow our industry to be sacrificed on the altar of Rishi Sunak’s search for a legacy.
“With so much at stake, we are urging our members to vote ‘YES and ‘YES’ in our industrial action ballot to enable us to fight to maintain blast furnace steelmaking into the 2030s and to prevent compulsory redundancies.”
Leading South Wales steel MPs have also thrown their support behind Community and the GMB’s Multi-Union Plan.
Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberavon, said: “As industry experts at Syndex have laid out this week, the Multi-Union Plan is a detailed, serious, robust and compelling proposal for the future of the Port Talbot steelworks and it has my full and unequivocal support. It’s the only realistic route to retaining our customer base, and it’s also the only credible pathway to a strong, competitive and profitable future for steel-making in Port Talbot and throughout the downstream plants across Wales and the UK. By contrast Tata’s shortsighted and counter-productive plan will mean exporting jobs from Port Talbot to India, a country where steel plants have a far higher carbon footprint.
“It’s vital that steel is at the heart of a forward-looking industrial strategy, which is why Labour has pledged £3billion to support the industry over the next decade.”
Jessica Morden, MP for Newport East which includes Llanwern Steelworks, said: “Tata and Rishi Sunak’s bad deal for steel would represent a huge blow to our steel industry and steel communities like our own in Newport. The deal would also leave the UK country dependent on imported steel from heavy-polluting countries at a time of global uncertainty.
“It doesn’t have to be this way, and the Multi-Union Plan for steel which Community and GMB have put forward represents a viable alternative to protect jobs and preserve steelmaking capacity here in South Wales. I urge Tata to think again and change course from their damaging proposals.”
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Business
52 homes to be built in Roch as scheme gets final sign-off
THE FINAL stage of approval for a near-£10m Pembrokeshire residential development of 52 homes has been given the go-ahead.
Back in April, members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee backed an application by Wakefield Pembrokeshire Ltd for the development, which includes four one-bed affordable housing units, on land near Pilgrims Way, Roch.
18 objections to the scheme were received, raising concerns including an “inadequate” affordable housing level, it being a high density development for a rural area, a loss of green space, the size of some of the homes, and pressures on existing services and facilities, and fears it may lead to an increase in second homes.
Nolton & Roch Community Land Trust (N&RCLT) has raised its concerns about a lack of affordable homes at the development, calling for a 20 per cent affordable homes element, as recommended by policy.
An officer report for members, recommending conditional approval, said: “It is apparent that the proposed development is not fully policy compliant, insofar as it cannot deliver the indicative 20 per cent affordable housing sought [by policy].
“However, a substantial positive social impact will arise through the provision of housing, including four one-bed affordable housing units, in meeting identified needs for both market and affordable housing.
“Financial obligations identified to mitigate adverse impacts arising from the proposed development cannot be met in full. However, [policy] acknowledges that in such circumstances contributions may be prioritised on the basis of the individual circumstances of each case.”
Speaking at the meeting, agent Gethin Beynon said the project had a “significant economic value” of around £10m, and the local applicant had “a sense of stewardship to the local community,” offering affordable housing and community infrastructure towards highways and education.
Approval was delegated to the council’s head of planning to approve the application, subject to the completion of a Section 106 planning obligation, making community financial contributions.
The Section 106 agreement was recently agreed, with the application now formally approved.
Business
World of engineering and welding SPARCs interest in Ysgol Harri Tudur’s female learners
AN EVENT hosted by Ledwood Engineering gave girls from Year 8 and 9 at Ysgol Harri Tudur first-hand experience of the world of engineering recently.
Engineering is a booming sector in Pembrokeshire with a high demand for skilled workers in exciting career pathways associated with the development of low carbon and renewable energy industry and the Celtic Freeport.
The young women heard from industry experts on the importance of engineering in Pembrokeshire, and had hands on experience using a welding simulator, at the company’s Pembroke Dock site.
The learners are part of the County’s SPARC (Sustainable Power and Renewable Construction) initiative aimed as inspiring and empowering young females to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathways where females are under-represented in the workforce.
SPARC is funded through an alliance comprising Blue Gem Wind, Ledwood Engineering, Port of Milford Haven, RWE Renewables, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire College and the Swansea Bay City Deal.
Mrs Laura Buckingham, SPARC practitioner at Ysgol Harri Tudur said: “Our learners had a fantastic experience at Ledwood Engineering. They were given lots of advice by industry experts on the different career options and pathways within the engineering sector.
“They appreciated the opportunity to ask their questions and found the session very informative. Having the chance to trial their welding skills on the simulator was an experience they continue to talk about and has definitely piqued their interest.”
Poppy Sawyer, Year 8 SPARC learner added: ‘It was a really good trip. Talking to the different people there has helped me know more about the jobs we could get which will be very useful when making choices for my future.”
“They helped us a lot by giving us lots of information. We were able to look around and try welding. It was really fun,” added Tianna Marshall, Year 8 SPARC learner.
The Regional Learning and Skills Partnership also launched its Explore Engineering interactive website at the event.
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