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| Tata steel: Port Talbot braced for 750 job losses | Tata steel: Port Talbot braced for 750 job losses |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than a thousand job losses are expected to be announced at Tata steel plants later, mostly in south Wales. | More than a thousand job losses are expected to be announced at Tata steel plants later, mostly in south Wales. |
| The Community union said 750 jobs would go at Port Talbot and another 300 at steel mills in Llanwern in Newport, Trostre near Llanelli and at Corby and Hartlepool plants in England. | The Community union said 750 jobs would go at Port Talbot and another 300 at steel mills in Llanwern in Newport, Trostre near Llanelli and at Corby and Hartlepool plants in England. |
| Unions were called into a meeting with management at 10:00 GMT. | |
| Earlier, Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss called for "meaningful action" from the UK Government. | |
| Tata employs 4,000 people at Port Talbot and 6,000 in Wales. | Tata employs 4,000 people at Port Talbot and 6,000 in Wales. |
| Thousands of industry jobs have already been lost in Scotland and England, with the focus now set to turn to Wales. | Thousands of industry jobs have already been lost in Scotland and England, with the focus now set to turn to Wales. |
| Cheap Chinese imports, a strong pound and high energy costs have been called "a perfect storm" for the UK steel industry. | Cheap Chinese imports, a strong pound and high energy costs have been called "a perfect storm" for the UK steel industry. |
| Mr Rickhuss added: "The dumping of cheap Chinese steel is one of the biggest causes of this crisis, yet the UK government remains a cheerleader for China and their bid for 'market economy status', which would decimate what's left of our steel industry. This cannot be allowed to happen." | Mr Rickhuss added: "The dumping of cheap Chinese steel is one of the biggest causes of this crisis, yet the UK government remains a cheerleader for China and their bid for 'market economy status', which would decimate what's left of our steel industry. This cannot be allowed to happen." |
| But he called for long-term commitment to steel making in the UK from Tata after "significant sacrifices" from its workforce. | But he called for long-term commitment to steel making in the UK from Tata after "significant sacrifices" from its workforce. |
| Tata Steel Europe, which employs 17,000 in the UK, is in the throes of a wide-scale reorganisation of its business. | Tata Steel Europe, which employs 17,000 in the UK, is in the throes of a wide-scale reorganisation of its business. |
| It currently puts £200m a year into the Welsh economy in wages. | It currently puts £200m a year into the Welsh economy in wages. |
| Alan Coombs, the president of the steelworkers' union Community, and chairman of the multi-union group at Port Talbot, said it was worrying for the future. | Alan Coombs, the president of the steelworkers' union Community, and chairman of the multi-union group at Port Talbot, said it was worrying for the future. |
| "It's worrying about where future apprentices and future engineers are going to come from. It's hard to see where these jobs will be replaced." | "It's worrying about where future apprentices and future engineers are going to come from. It's hard to see where these jobs will be replaced." |
| He added: "Today's news is a tragic reminder of the UK's ongoing steel crisis. | He added: "Today's news is a tragic reminder of the UK's ongoing steel crisis. |
| "Here in Port Talbot we make some of the world's best steel, but cheap Chinese imports and high energy costs are crippling our industry." | "Here in Port Talbot we make some of the world's best steel, but cheap Chinese imports and high energy costs are crippling our industry." |
| Analysis by Brian Meechan, BBC Wales business correspondent | Analysis by Brian Meechan, BBC Wales business correspondent |
| Tata has been part of the scene in Port Talbot for decades. It is the biggest plant in the UK, providing well paid jobs that are difficult to replace. For every job in the steelworks, it's estimated another four jobs in the local economy are supported. | Tata has been part of the scene in Port Talbot for decades. It is the biggest plant in the UK, providing well paid jobs that are difficult to replace. For every job in the steelworks, it's estimated another four jobs in the local economy are supported. |
| This is more bad news for a company and an industry that has been struggling and a workforce that has put a lot in, in recent years, to try to make Tata competitive. But it is fighting against global forces including cheap imports from China. The UK government has put in measures recently to deal with high energy costs but the industry has been calling for these for four or five years. | This is more bad news for a company and an industry that has been struggling and a workforce that has put a lot in, in recent years, to try to make Tata competitive. But it is fighting against global forces including cheap imports from China. The UK government has put in measures recently to deal with high energy costs but the industry has been calling for these for four or five years. |
| The steel industry has not really recovered from the financial crash in 2008 when at its height people stopped buying white goods, cars, and construction stopped. We talk a lot about dumping but it is cheaper to produce steel in China and that is not going to change. | The steel industry has not really recovered from the financial crash in 2008 when at its height people stopped buying white goods, cars, and construction stopped. We talk a lot about dumping but it is cheaper to produce steel in China and that is not going to change. |
| Tata have invested quite heavily in Port Talbot with the new blast furnace in particular and also in the workforce and it has been quite patient. | Tata have invested quite heavily in Port Talbot with the new blast furnace in particular and also in the workforce and it has been quite patient. |
| But ultimately the concern is that patience will eventually run out. We are looking at a meeting at Tata headquarters in India in a few weeks time and the company will look at the proposals made by Tata UK and may think that is a best case scenario and does not go far enough. | But ultimately the concern is that patience will eventually run out. We are looking at a meeting at Tata headquarters in India in a few weeks time and the company will look at the proposals made by Tata UK and may think that is a best case scenario and does not go far enough. |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones has urged the UK government to come forward with a package to help the steel industry with their energy costs. | First Minister Carwyn Jones has urged the UK government to come forward with a package to help the steel industry with their energy costs. |
| The UK government said it was "meeting key steel industry asks" through cutting energy costs and taking action on imports and EU emissions regulations. | The UK government said it was "meeting key steel industry asks" through cutting energy costs and taking action on imports and EU emissions regulations. |
| A Business Department spokesman said it was monitoring the Tata situation closely. | A Business Department spokesman said it was monitoring the Tata situation closely. |
| "The government continues to engage closely with Tata on how we can help during this difficult period for the sector," he added. | "The government continues to engage closely with Tata on how we can help during this difficult period for the sector," he added. |