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Job losses expected at Tata steelworks in Port Talbot 400 jobs to go at Tata steelworks in Port Talbot
(35 minutes later)
Jobs are expected to go at the Tata steelmaking plant in Port Talbot, according to local politicians. Around 400 jobs are to go at the Tata steelmaking plant in Port Talbot, the company has announced.
The company is expected to announce redundancies later. Chief executive Karl Koehler said the changes were vital if the company was to remain competitive.
Hywel Francis MP and David Rees AM said they had been briefed by the company, who they said had undertaken a review of the plant. He pointed to the UK's high business rates and "uncompetitive" energy costs as factors in the decision.
They added they had been assured long-term sustainability at the plant would be paramount. In 2012, 600 jobs went from Tata sites in Wales. In 2012, 600 jobs went from Tata sites in Wales. It still has 7,000 staff with the majority working at Port Talbot.
In a joint statement the pair said: "We have been briefed by the Tata Hub Director for Strip Products, Mr Hridayeshwar Jha and we have had discussions with local steel union representatives. A consultation process lasting at least 45 days will begin shortly.
"We have been informed that these redundancies are proposed following the first root and branch review of the plant for many years. The company said in statement the job losses would reduce costs and enable it to compete in an era of lower market demand.
Mr Koehler said: "Steel demand and prices are likely to be under pressure for some years. Our business rates in the UK are much higher than other EU countries' and our UK energy costs will remain uncompetitive until new mitigation measures come into effect.
"These proposed changes then are vital if we are to build a competitive future for our strip products business in the UK.
"We will, of course, engage fully with employees, trade unions and our political stakeholders during this restructuring process. And we will do everything we can to support our employees through this unsettling time."
He added the company had invested over £250m in the past two years in state-of-the-art technology and were making further investments in its hot strip mill in Port Talbot and at a site in Llanwern in Newport.
'Concerns'
Roy Rickhuss, chair of the UK trade unions' steel committee, said: "We are obviously very concerned to hear this news and we will do all we can to support those affected by the announcement.
"We recognise the company has been dealing with a long-term downturn in European steel markets for more than five years.
"However we have also expressed our own concerns about possible under-manning within strip products and in Port Talbot in particular.
"Therefore, it is vital that this is not just an exercise to just reduce costs by cutting jobs but takes a considered and objective view as to the numbers required to run and maintain the plant to make steel safely and productively."
In a joint statement Aberavon MP Hywel Francis MP and David Rees AM said: "We have been briefed by the Tata Hub Director for Strip Products, Mr Hridayeshwar Jha and we have had discussions with local steel union representatives.
"We were assured that the usual process of consultation will be undertaken and key issues of long term sustainability of the plant and safety will be paramount."We were assured that the usual process of consultation will be undertaken and key issues of long term sustainability of the plant and safety will be paramount.
"As the MP and AM for this important plant we wish to place on record our continued faith in steel making at Port Talbot and we urge government at local, Welsh and UK level to work with Tata and the unions to achieve this.""As the MP and AM for this important plant we wish to place on record our continued faith in steel making at Port Talbot and we urge government at local, Welsh and UK level to work with Tata and the unions to achieve this."