Via Metal Miner Tata Steel workers associated with the Unite Trade Union at Port Talbot recently voted to strike over plans to replace the site’s two blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces. The decision immediately led to discussions about the near and long-term future of the UK steel industry as well as Tata’s production capabilities.
UK Government Partners with Industry Giant Tata announced in September that it had reached a tentative agreement with the UK government on decarbonization. The UK Government will tentatively cover £500 million $620 million of the replacement costs, while the remainder is to come from Tata’s own coffers. Unions originally proposed that Tata replace only one blast furnace and allow the adjacent BF 4 to continue operating until the end of its campaign, which is due in 2032.