BOTH Newport MPs have written to the chairman of Tata Steel urging the company to protect the pensions of local steelworkers.

The company has come under fire over changes it wants to make to its pensions scheme which could see employees retiring at 65 instead of 60.

It wants to scrap the final salary agreement for existing members and end provisions letting people retire early at 60.

Bosses say this is necessary to prevent a projected shortfall of £2 billion in the scheme.

In the joint letter, Newport East MP Jessica Morden and Newport West MP Paul Flynn state: “The steel workers in our constituencies have endured difficult times and have adapted to this tough environment through accepting changes to working patterns.

“However, closing the British Steel Pension Scheme is a step too far and is grossly unfair given the workers’ sacrifices to date.

“We know there has been a long and proud history of constructive industrial relations for the steel industry, but feel it is very disappointing that an agreement has not been reached with the unions.”

Both MPs will support the steelworkers’ march in Newport on Saturday and attended the All Party Steel group in Parliament on Wednesday where they questioned Dr Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s European operations.

A Tata Steel spokesman said: “In a robust and constructive dialogue Mr Koehler answered all the questions MPs asked him. He assured them the company shares their concerns about potential industrial action.

“Mr Koehler reiterated that the company remains open even at this late stage to unconditional talks with the unions to find resolutions to the very serious challenges that require the pension scheme to be reformed. But he stressed that decisions on dealing with these challenges must be made imminently.

He said that Tata would announce new measures to ‘lessen the impact’ of the proposed changes especially on longest-serving employees nearing retirement age.

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