A STEELWORKERS' trade union has expressed shock at the latest news that Tata Steel could cut 3,000 jobs across Europe.

The steelmaker, which announced in September it plans to close the Orb steelworks next month, with the loss of 280 jobs, said the job cuts were necessary "to ensure the business can thrive despite severe market headwinds which have led to a sharp decline in profitability".

The company says two-thirds of the jobs will be in office-based roles, while it will also cut costs by "increasing sales of higher-value steels", as well as by cutting its procurement costs and increasing efficiency.

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The company has said it hopes the plans will mean it can achieve a profit by the end of the 2020-2021 financial year.

Responding to the news, Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the steelworkers’ trade union, Community, said: “This is a shocking announcement, which will worry many steelworkers and their families in the UK and across Europe.

South Wales Argus:

Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary of Community

"This news has been badly handled and the company should hang its head in shame with the way this development has been communicated.

"The workforce should not pay the price for the failure of the joint venture with Thyssenkrupp nor the lack of a plan B when the JV talks collapsed."

Mr Rickhuss explained that Community had secured a jobs guarantee until 2021 and that the union will be defending that agreement "robustly".

"We want a long-term vision for the future of steelmaking in Tata Steel Europe, not the management of decline by 3,000 job cuts," he said.

“While company management are responsible for the direction they are taking, yet again we must call for more action to create a level playing field for UK steel businesses.

"Our steel producers continue to face higher energy costs, high business rates and competition from cheap imports.

"Government attempts to address these longstanding issues have not created the environment our steel companies need to compete effectively in a global market.”

More than 600 people have already signed a petition from the South Wales Argus, calling for the UK Government to work with Tata Steel and to invest in the Orb plant.

Click here to download the petition: South Wales Argus Orb Petition.pdf​

Print it out, sign it, get your friends and family to sign it, and drop it into the Argus office in Cardiff Road, Maesglas, Newport, NP20 3QN.