Comments from Tata Steel Europe’s chief executive Karl Koehler’s that the firms’ Long Products Europe operation “has no future” within the company’s operations beyond April is “yet another bitter blow for steel on Teesside and across the UK” claims local Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop.
Tom Blenkinsop said:
“With depressing regularity over the past 7 or 8 weeks, thousands and thousands of good, honest, hardworking men and women across Teesside have had their livelihoods taken away from them. Unless something is done fast, 700 workers could be out of a job by April next year.
“Clearly we are going through a crisis in British steel and companies, such as Tata, should hold firm before writing off sites, or whole sections, without guaranteeing a new owner at the very least.
“However, these are insensitive comments from Mr Koehler. Many of the workers were already worried about their future and this only adds to those concerns. Creating speculation, or indeed playing high stakes poker with an entire steel division is not the message that Tata would want to give to Britain nor indeed internationally after painstakingly developing an excellent reputation for corporate responsibility to theirs workforce.
“The Chief executive should rescind his comments and give clarity to his long products workforce who are still creating profits for their parent company.”
