The proposed strike at Tata Steel UK's Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales, scheduled for next week, was called off, according to unions. They cited a decision to resume discussions with management as the reason.
Tata Steel, an Indian-owned company, intends to begin closing the first furnace at the UK's largest steelworks soon, with the second to follow by the end of 2024 as part of its transition to more environmentally friendly production methods.
Initially, the Unite trade union had declared that Tata employees would initiate an indefinite strike from July 8 in objection to the company's plans to reduce jobs. However, this action has now been put on hold.
The Labour party, expected to win the upcoming general election on July 4, had urged Tata to prevent the strike.
According to a statement released, "Unite has confirmed that its current industrial action at Tata in South Wales has been paused. The decision follows Tata's confirmation, after extensive discussions over the weekend, that the company is now willing to engage in negotiations regarding future investments in its operations, focusing not just on redundancies but also on the future of its operations in South Wales, including at Port Talbot."
