08/06/2015

Tata Steel Workers Vote In Favour Of Industrial Action

Members of Unite the union working for Tata Steel UK Ltd have voted for industrial action over the firm's plans to close the British Steel pension scheme (BSPS) and make employees work five more years to get their full pension.

70% backed strike action on a turnout of 66% amid accusations that Tata Steel's management was on the verge of provoking the biggest crisis in the steel industry for a generation.

Unite, along with other steel unions, Community, GMB and Ucatt, has already offered pension savings of £850m to the company after five months of intensive negotiations. Despite this, Tata Steel UK is seeking to go ahead with changes forcing employees to work an extra five years until they are 65 to receive their full pension.

At present, workers can retire at the age of 60 without an actuarial reduction. Instead, the company is insisting that workers wishing to retire at 60 will lose 5% of each year of early retirement – 25% in total.

Unite will be meeting with the other steel unions next week to discuss next steps including industrial action.

(CD/JP)

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