The UK government refuses to rule out redundancies at the Scunthorpe steelworks, despite trade unions’ calls to end the programme of job losses, as a new employment footprint is being sought for British Steel.
UK Government Refuses to Rule Out Redundancies at Scunthorpe Steelworks
The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has refused to rule out redundancies at the Scunthorpe steelworks, despite calls from trade unions to end the programme of job losses started by its former owners.
Jonathan Reynolds is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stalybridge and Hyde since 2015.
Born on November 12, 1982, in Manchester, England, he studied at the University of Sheffield and later earned his Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham.
Reynolds was first elected to Parliament in 2010 and has held various shadow cabinet positions, including Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.
The Future of British Steel: A New Employment Footprint?
Reynolds was speaking during a visit to Immingham docks to oversee coal and iron ore being unloaded on its way to the Scunthorpe plant. ‘The government took control of the plant after finding out its Chinese owner, Jingye, was attempting to sell the supplies and hasten the closure of the furnaces.’ The government’s takeover has led to a transformation programme aimed at securing the long-term future of British Steel. ‘Reynolds stated that the private sector partner needs to work with the government on this programme, which may involve new technology, facilities, or a different employment footprint.’
A Better Future for Scunthorpe
Reynolds added that the blast furnaces have given the country nearly a century of service and that the staff know they need a long-term future. ‘He emphasized that the unplanned shutdown of the blast furnaces with thousands of job losses was not acceptable, and that the government’s actions were aimed at securing a better future for Scunthorpe.’
A blast furnace is a large industrial vessel where iron ore, coke, and limestone are heated at high temperatures to produce pig iron.
This process involves the reduction of iron oxides with 'carbon monoxide' , resulting in molten iron.
Blast furnaces are typically 60-100 meters tall and can produce up to 10,000 tons of steel per day.
The process has remained largely unchanged since its invention in the 15th century, with modern improvements focusing on 'efficiency and environmental sustainability' .
Trade Unions Call for an End to Redundancies
The GMB union has called for an end to the formal redundancy programme, which could have meant the closure of both blast furnaces and more than half of the site’s 3,500 workers losing their jobs. ‘Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, national officer at GMB, said that the immediate threat of redundancies should be taken off the table and that they are looking to work with the secretary of state on planning the longer-term future for Scunthorpe.’
The General Municipal Boilermakers Union (GMB) is a trade union in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Founded in 1857, it represents workers in various industries, including manufacturing, construction, and public services.
The GMB has approximately 620,000 members and is affiliated with the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Its main objectives include improving working conditions, wages, and benefits for its members.
A Private Sector Partner Needed
Reynolds has the task of securing immediate supplies to keep the furnaces running and finding a longer-term bidder for the Scunthorpe site. ‘Ministers want to find a private sector company to help the government pay for a new electric furnace at the plant, which forms the central part of British Steel’s £1.25bn decarbonisation plan.’
A Shift in Tone
Reynolds’ comments on Tuesday appeared to change his tone from over the weekend, when he refused to rule out the possibility that Jingye‘s actions might have been part of a deliberate act of sabotage. ‘However, officials and ministers have insisted that this was not the case, saying they believed the company had been acting purely out of commercial considerations.’
A Broader Push for Vigilance
The government’s push to secure Chinese investment in British infrastructure has begun to alarm some senior figures within Labour. ‘Liam Byrne, the chair of the business select committee, told the Guardian that the UK must be ‘fiercely vigilant’ about who is granted access to key industries and infrastructure.’
- theguardian.com | UK government refuses to rule out redundancies at Scunthorpe steelworks
