Corus Union Reps Vow To Support Redcar Members

Scunthorpe union reps have vowed to mount a campaign to save the jobs of their Teesside colleagues.

Mick Fell, the chairman of the local works multi-union committee, said he and his colleagues would be pressing the Government to come up with an emergency package of support for the Redcar site.

Mick Fell warned the company's decision to partially mothball the Teesside Casts Products (TCP) plant would have disastrous consequences for the UK economy.

The Scunthorpe chairman said he was planning a meeting as soon as possible with his Teesside counterpart Geoff Waterfield to draw up a joint plan of action.

Mr Fell said: "We were told earlier this week Corus was still considering other options to save TCP so the announcement came as a great shock.

"It seems to be a fait accomplis."

And Bill Gray, Unite's rep for 1,800 craft workers on the Scunthorpe site, said he would be chairing a meeting in Leeds of the Unite trade union on Tuesday and the Teesside jobs would be the top of the agenda.

Mr Gray said: "We are bitterly disappointed the Labour Government is not doing more to save the jobs of our colleagues at Redcar.

"The benefits of keeping open the TCP far outweigh any benefits that may or may not be coming the way of Scunthorpe."