Tata Steel crisis: Black Country jobs at risk as company to axe 1,000 positions

Around 750 jobs will go at the company's huge plant at Port Talbot, south Wales, but another 200 in "support functions" also face the axe.

A Tata Steel spokesman said today that the firm could not rule out job cuts at the major Steelpark distribution centre at Wednesfield where most of the company's 600 Black Country workers are employed.

He said a 45 day consultation process would determine where jobs will be cut.

The Wednesfield site handles steel produced at Port Talbot, as does the company's smaller operation at Brierley Hill, which has a railhead directly linked to Tata's south Wales steelmaking plants.

As well as the 750 Port Talbot roles and 200 support jobs, one hundred positions are to be cut at steel mills, affecting Llanwern, Trostre, Corby and Hartlepool.

Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel's European operations, said: "I know this news will be unsettling for all those affected, but these tough actions are critical in the face of extremely difficult market conditions which are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

"We need the European Commission to accelerate its response to unfairly traded imports and increase the robustness of its actions. Not doing so threatens the future of the entire European steel industry.

"And while we welcome progress on UK energy costs, the Government must take urgent action to increase the competitiveness of the UK for its vital steel sector. This includes lowering business rates and supporting energy efficiency and anti-dumping cases so we can compete fairly."

The Government was accused of "fast talking but slow delivery" by unions, which said the latest news was devastating for local communities.

The Community union said it will "vigorously" challenge the company's proposals.

General secretary Roy Rickhuss said: "Today's announcement is no reflection of the skills and commitment of the Tata Steel workforce, which has been breaking production records over the past year.

"Rather, it is yet another chapter of the UK's ongoing steel crisis and the lack of a proper Government response.

"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 is left of our steel industry. This cannot be allowed to happen."

Alan Coombs, a Port Talbot steelworker and president of Community, said: "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.

"This announcement will affect everyone here - steelworkers, engineers and office staff."

Many contractors and service firms rely on the Port Talbot plant, so direct job cuts will have a knock-on effect across the region.

Dave Hulse, national officer of the GMB said: "Once again this news is heartbreaking for the steel Industry and our members.

"This demonstrates that the Government is asleep when it comes to the serious problems that we are facing.

Gareth Stace, director of trade body UK Steel, said: "This is deeply disappointing news and I am very concerned about the future of the plant and community. This is a site of critical importance to our national industrial infrastructure.

"The job cuts reinforce everything we have been saying about the importance of swift action by all involved to tackle the problems facing our steel industry. We have been dealing for some time with a toxic cocktail of conditions, from Chinese dumping of steel to the high cost of energy, and have warned that a strong and rapid response in the UK and in Brussels, is required.

"It is clear that Government, the workforce, unions and Tata must work closely together to ensure this important steel making plant has a strong and secure future."