British Steel has concluded its redundancy consultation without any job losses, attributing the successful outcome to the hard work of its workforce. Revealed on March 27, the initial consultation had put as many as 2,700 Scunthorpe jobs in jeopardy due to possible shutdowns of blast furnaces and downscaled operations at the steel rolling mills.
This move comes after British Steel’s refusal of a £500 million government support package aimed to enable the transition towards environmentally-friendly steelmaking. In reply, the government stepped in to ensure a consistent supply of raw materials, circumventing immediate shortages that could have halted operations by mid-May.
With its supply chain stabilised under new leadership, British Steel has successfully managed to source necessary coking coal to maintain furnace operations. Lisa Coulson, the Interim Chief Commercial Officer, lauded the workforce’s resilience, officially cancelling the redundancy plans and honouring the ‘finest in the world’ staff for safeguarding steelmaking in Scunthorpe’s future.
While this moment represents substantial relief for Scunthorpe’s steelworkers, questions remain about British Steel’s long-term ownership and future direction, as the government’s direct control continues without a defined timeline.
[This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk].
