Roy Rickhuss CBE, the general secretary of the UK’s largest steelworkers’ union, Community, has amplified calls for the nationalisation of British Steel if necessary, in a bid to save Scunthorpe’s steelworks and safeguard thousands of jobs. The company is currently in talks with its workforce and trade unions about the potential closure of Scunthorpe’s blast furnaces and the wider steelmaking operation, a move which could impact up to 2,700 employees directly. Amidst the growing uncertainty at British Steel, the rallying cry from Scunthorpe steelworkers is ‘Decarbonisation but not at the cost of deindustrialisation’. Negotiations for a support package between British Steel’s owners, the Jingye Group, and the UK Government collapsed in late March. Rickhuss urges both parties to return to negotiations and secure a deal to maintain steelmaking in Scunthorpe. If this is not possible, he calls on the government to recognise British Steel as a vital national asset and step in to nationalise it, securing its future. He also expressed hope that the multi-union plan, which they believe is viable, would form part of these discussions.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
