STEEL unions representing workers at Newport’s Llanwern steelworks have announced they will strike on Monday, June 22 over their ongoing pensions dispute.

The strike action will be preceded by action short of strike action involving an overtime ban and a work to rule, which will begin as soon as it legally can next week.

A Tata Steel spokesman said the owners were “very disappointed by today’s announcement on strike and industrial action”.

Unions including Unite, GMB, Ucatt and Community voted to strike over the company’s proposal to close the British Steel Pension Scheme.

Unite national officer Paul Reuter said: “Strike action is the last resort for our members, but they’ve signalled very clearly that they are not prepared to stand by and see the retirement they have worked so hard for, in such a physically demanding environment, robbed from them.

“We have offered the savings the company says it needs. Instead Tata Steel UK wants to financially penalise its workforce and force it to work another five years to get their full pension.

“We would urge the company to do the right thing and enter into further meaningful talks to avoid the disruption of industrial action.”

Roy Rickhuss, chairman of the National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee and general secretary of the Community trade union, said: “Tata have given us no option but take industrial action.

“The company has not shown any willingness to return to meaningful negotiations to find an end to this dispute. Our members are determined to stand up for their pensions.

“They delivered a massive vote in favour of industrial action, so that is what will happen. An overtime ban and work-to-rule will cause massive disruption to Tata’s operations and severely limit production.”

Dave Hulse, GMB national officer, said: “It’s time Tata got back round the table and looked for a way to resolve this dispute. Our members are ready for industrial action and the company should heed the message that their workforce is delivering.”

Nick Blundell, regional secretary for Ucatt, said: “Tata should listen to its workforce and recognise that to resolve this dispute it needs to get back round the table with the unions for meaningful discussions. Industrial action is a last resort for any union but Tata has given us no choice.”

Unions must give seven days’ notice of any industrial action.

A Tata Steel spokesman said: “We have been trying to develop an affordable and sustainable pension scheme for employees so we are very disappointed by today’s announcement on strike and industrial action.

“Everyone agrees that changes need to be made to resolve the challenges facing our pension scheme, which has a projected shortfall of over £2 billion.

“We have over the last few months listened carefully to our employees during an extensive consultation process involving thousands of employees.

“In response to this feedback, we will soon be announcing new measures which will lessen the impact of the proposed pension changes, particularly on our longest-serving employees nearing retirement age.

“We hope that these important changes to our proposals will be welcomed by employees and that the trade unions reconsider industrial action.

“At a time when the UK business as a whole continues to lose money and when key investments are needed to create a sustainable future for our business, we urge the unions and individual employees to think very carefully about the consequences of industrial action.”