Further Job Losses in the Steel Industry
Following previous job cuts back in October 2015, major steel manufacturer Tata Steel have now announced that a further 1,050 jobs will have to go. This is yet another disappointment for the steel industry in the UK, which is struggling to survive as cheaper steel is imported from abroad. Excess steel in China is being sold off at very low prices, and the steel produced elsewhere in the world just isn’t able to compete. This is not helped by high energy costs in the UK, which also poses a problem for steel production plants.
The steel plant at Redcar closed after 1,200 jobs were lost last year. There was also a Sahaviriya plant closure in the north of England which resulted in around 2,000 job losses. Post Talbot has been the area hardest hit in this wave of job losses, with 750 positions being cut. Also affected are Corby and Hartlepool. In recent years, plants have been closed in countries across Europe, including Belgium and France.