Union leaders are raising alarm bells about the potential mental health ramifications for Scunthorpe’s community amidst possible closures of the town’s blast furnaces. The fate of British Steel’s steelmaking operations – including the two blast furnaces – hangs in the balance, with as many as 2,700 jobs under threat. The next couple of months could see the curtains fall, if the earliest closure scenarios come to pass. This follows unsuccessful negotiations between Jingye Group, the owners of British Steel, and the Government regarding a support package tailored to facilitate the company’s shift to environmentally-friendly electric arc furnaces (EAFs). Notably, EAFs require fewer employees than blast furnaces and cannot manufacture virgin or primary steel. Yet, if the blast furnaces cease operations too soon, the construction of EAFs may also be jeopardised. Alun Davies, national secretary for steel at Community, has voiced concerns about the psychological toll on workers and the wider community if the proposed closures transpire. Davies emphasised the critical importance of the jobs to individuals and families in Scunthorpe and Teesside. He cautioned that the threat to these ‘breadwinners’ could lead to a surge in mental health cases, as seen in Middlesborough and Port Talbot following similar closures. Davies appealed to Scunthorpe residents for their support, underlining the economic ripple effect if the steelworks shut down. He warned that local communities and shopping areas could be decimated, with reduced money flow into the local economy.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.
