Tata Steel’s plans to decarbonize its Port Talbot works could potentially result in the loss of around 3,000 jobs, leaving many employees, including steelworker Owen Midwinter, in the dark about their futures. Midwinter, who works with his father Jason at the site, expressed concern about his ability to afford his mortgage if he were jobless for any amount of time. Despite uncertainty, Tata has promised to transition to greener steelmaking processes. Approval to replace Port Talbot’s two coal-burning blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces would denote Tata’s latest change. If successfully completed, the transition to new furnaces could mean significantly fewer workers would be needed.
Some steelworker unions are discussing an independent consultancy firm’s alternative plan for the site as they attempt to salvage jobs. Steelworker Jason Midwinter, Owen’s father, shares his son’s apprehension about the future, claiming that those who work in the factory are unable to plan for the remainder of the year without receiving more definitive explanations. Although the UK government provided Tata with a £500m investment to ensure the Port Talbot site’s continued operations and decarbonization, some stakeholders are still expressing concerns about potential future layoffs.
Martin Mahoney and Steve Lloyd, who have worked at Port Talbot for 34 years, are also members of the cast of the Taibach rugby club’s pantomime, among many other steelworkers. They said that appearing in the panto was an opportunity to blow off steam and forget about work worries. Although job cuts have been a part of the period they’ve worked at Port Talbot, the current threat to jobs is the most severe. As with many others at the site, Mahoney and Lloyd expressed a desire for a clear, definitive explanation and an end to rumors
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More