Corus unions to ballot over strike action

Steelworkers are to be balloted for industrial action over the mothballing of a huge plant, with the loss of up to 1,500 jobs.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Apr 2010, 10:34 BST
Updated 23rd Apr 2010, 10:34 BST

Unions said they were pressing ahead with the ballot at the Teesside plant, after a "lack of progress" over finding a new buyer.

The future of Corus's Teesside Cast Products site has been in doubt since a consortium pulled out of a contract last year.

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The National Steel Trade Union Co-ordinating Committee said yesterday: "Due to a lack of progress and a lack of clarity over securing an alternative for Teesside we have begun ballot proceedings today.

"In view of recent legal actions against unions we are making legal and administrative preparations before the ballot opens.

"We were due to meet Corus today, but the company failed to turn up at the appointed time. This is symptomatic of the way Corus has treated the workforce in the past months."

Terry Pye, national officer at the union Unite, said: "This is a road we didn't want to go down but Corus's contempt for the Teesside workforce and the community gives us no alternative."

Related topics:UniteTeesside