STEELWORKERS faced with redundancy decided to ballot on industrial action at a mass meeting yesterday.

About 50 Alphasteel workers attended the meeting held at Newport City Live Arena where the majority voted in favour of a ballot for industrial action.

A 'yes' vote in the ballot would mean that workers would refuse to do any overtime and the union would fight for minimum redundancies.

It was revealed last week that Alphasteel in Corporation Road had indicated it was shedding up to 99 jobs.

Steve McCool, South Wales regional secretary of the union Community, which represents the majority of the workforce, said members had requested the meeting.

Last year fewer than 100 people worked at the plant, which now employs more than 600 following a major investment.

"We are hoping to put pressure on the company to reduce the numbers of job losses, and the workers today decided on a ballot," said Mr McCool.

Emotions were running high in the meeting yesterday as workers voiced concerns.

Mr McCool told the meeting: "The management is living in the Dark Ages, you can demand not to do a stitch of overtime until they bring workers back, they need to see they have not managed the redundancies properly."

Mr McCool, who has held a series of meetings since the job loss threat was revealed, said the company had invested a lot of money in the plant and had put positive plans forward.

"We are hopeful that those plans are still in place, there is still going to be a bright future and this is just a setback."

More than 80 people were made redundant at Alphasteel in 2001 but at the end of 2003 Wales First Minister Rhodri Morgan hailed a major investment at the Newport site, which is owned by an Iranian company.

John Morgan and his son Roger, of Ringland, Newport, have worked at the factory for nine months.

John said: "We both voted for the ballot because over the years they have been let off for all the redundancies. How can we see a safe future? We can't plan anything, not even a holiday."

Roger, who has just re-mortgaged his home, said: "I need this job or I will lose my house. I've only just got a mortgage sorted and they are constantly asking for my payslips because they have heard about the redundancies.

"The company needs to be brought to a modern age."

Another worker, who wanted to remain anonymous, also voted for the industrial action ballot.

He said: "I have just bought a house and I am planning on getting married next year.

"I feel like my life is in limbo and I am very worried about the future."

Spiros Kopitsis, managing director of the Corporation Road plant, has refused to comment on the job losses.