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Wait goes on for Corus workers
HUNDREDS of Corus workers still wait to be told whether they will be casualties of the latest job cuts.
A further downturn in trade was blamed by Corus management for the slash of 377 more Parkgate jobs, 422 at Rotherham all together, as they claimed resizing was again unavoidable.
Concern for steelworkers and their families has been expressed by MPs, councillors and churchmen, since the shock announcement came late last week – the second to detail major job losses for the company since January.
Defiant Community Union spokesman Stuart Sansome said he and colleagues will continue to thrash out terms with management, and stressed
that "for each proposal management make, we will have a counter one."
He continued: "People on this site have worked together throughout this difficult period and will continue to do so.
"We desperately need financial assistance for this area and will push as hard as we can for Government money to ease the knock-on effects of yet more job losses.
"For every worker's job here, there will be two more lost in the borough. We've got to expl-ore every option to try and keep people in work."
Cut shifts and reduced hours are two options being touted in the bid to save jobs.
"People's first reaction on hearing the news was 'have we still got a plant?'," said Mr Sansome.
"Once it was confirmed that the plant still has a future, people wanted to know 'then how does the latest news affect me?'. In most cases, that has still to answered."
But the steelworkers are the toughest of characters, who have weathered highs and lows over many years.
Added Mr Sansome: "There's a bit of a lull, but information cascades around the site the minute it becomes known.
"The day we heard more jobs were to go, the night shift workers turned up on the dot as usual, ready to get to work. The professionalism here never falters. Everyone supports each other.
"It's hard, but we have to keep positive. We hope there'll be a plant here for many generations to come, and that better times will return."
The company has pledged to retain more than 1,000 people in South Yorkshire, but planning for the future has become increasingly
difficult for a workforce who have become used to living for the moment.Wentworth MP John Healey said the news was another huge blow for the area adding: "I have met with Ministers, Corus bosses, union leaders and steelworkers throughout this year, and I know how tough it is in the steel industry worldwide at present.
"When I met Lord Mandelson and his team of Ministers last week, with Denis MacShane and Angela Smith, we told him bluntly how hard the global recession has hit steel-making in South Yorkshire.
Now there's an offer of help on the table for Corus plants in Yorkshire and the North East.
It means up to five million Euros available to support training and wages for the workforce, to help Corus in Rotherham and Stocksbridge come through this tough economic period.
"In Rotherham we make some of the best steel in Europe and if we can ride out the recession we still have a base to build back from in future.
Steel is essential to our economy in Britain, it's essential to the strategic strength of our economy."
Corus announced in January it was to restructure its engineering steels business, focusing on high technology applications for steels into aerospace, oil and gas, power generation and automotive. This strategy remains.
But, says management, the economic downturn is deeper and will last much longer than previously thought. In the automotive sector, demand for engineering steel has reduced by more than 70 per cent, while in the oil and gas sector, engineering steel demand has fallen by 80 per cent.
Peter Hogg, general manager of Corus' engineering steels business, said: "I realise how distressing this is for all those affected, but I am also extremely aware of our responsibility to achieve the ongoing survival of this business.
"We will seek to minimise the impact of this restructuring on our employees."
Rotherham Council leader Roger Stone, said local communities must now face more testing times.
He said: "It means that we as a council will redouble our efforts and continue the work we have been doing since January with Corus, and
with other partners such as Jobcentre Plus and Yorkshire Forward to alleviate the fall-out.
"Lobbying to keep the sites in our region open, and working to maintain the jobs that are still in place will be a priority, along with promoting access to training, and other support for those who sadly do lose their jobs.
"We welcome any financial support that the Government can give us."
The Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Steven Croft, spoke out, to
say that he was "extremely concerned" .
Dr Croft, who was in Rotherham this week, said: "Of course I understand the reasons why industry is forced to make difficult decisions, but it doesn't lessen the blow to families who are very concerned about the future and their well-being,"
He urged everyone to work together to ensure that all those facing redundancy in the current economic climate had as much support as
possible.
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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