Latest news with #CommunityUnion
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Work to begin on Tata's new electric furnace
Work to bring "a cleaner, greener future" to a south Wales site, where 2,800 jobs were lost when traditional steelmaking ended, will begin today. Construction will commence on a new electric arc furnace at Port Talbot's Tata steel works, which is expected to be up and running by 2027 and reduce the site's carbon emissions by about 90%. It comes after 2,800 jobs were lost when the site's blast furnaces were shut in September 2024. A union described the announcement as "bittersweet", but the UK government insisted it was a "major win". UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will join the Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and representatives from Tata Steel to officially start the work on the new, greener steel-making project. Meanwhile, the UK government's steel council will meet on Monday to finalise its steel strategy, chaired by UK Industry Minister Sarah Jones and "backed by up to £2.5bn in investment". Can Port Talbot survive change at Tata? FM says Scunthorpe steel help cannot be at expense of Wales Over 2,000 workers apply for Tata Steel redundancy Community Union said the start of the works in Port Talbot was a "bittersweet day" after the "devastating closure of the blast furnaces" at the site. The union's assistant general secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said: "Today should represent the first step towards rebuilding our steel industry and creating new high-quality jobs for our steel communities. "Going forward we must see further investment to develop and grow the business, both here in Port Talbot and across all the crucial downstream sites." He added the union would continue to hold talks with government "on their plans to safeguard and co-invest in our steel industry". The UK government said the milestone was a "major win" made possible by a £500m grant they provided as part of the "improved deal for Port Talbot's transition". Reynolds described it as "great news for Welsh steelmaking", which will give "certainty to local communities and thousands of local jobs for years to come". Chairman of Tata Group Natarajan Chandrasekaran said it was a "ground-breaking" day which "marks not just the beginning of a new electric arc furnace, but a new era for sustainable manufacturing in Britain". "At Port Talbot, we are building the foundations of a cleaner, greener future, supporting jobs, driving innovation, and demonstrating our commitment to responsible industry leadership," he added. Jo Stevens said the construction of the new furnace "realises the promise we made to the community" and meant "Port Talbot has a bright future". Energy cost cuts to 'boost' thousands of new jobs What we know about Tata's new electric arc furnace Capturing last days at Port Talbot's steelworks Stevens said the UK government was "aiming to ensure that there is as little as possible hit on the UK steel industry" from US tariffs. Reports in June said the US government was threatening to leave Port Talbot out of a deal for tariff-free access to the US, because Tata has been importing steel since the closure of the blast furnaces last year. That means steel could breach US rules that require all steel to be "melted and poured" in the country it is imported from. "That's one of the things that we're talking to the US administration about," Stevens told Radio Wales Breakfast. She said the business secretary Jonathan Reynolds "is leading the discussions, working hard to secure protections for UK steel". Additional reporting by David Deans Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Tata Steel Port Talbot electric furnace work set to begin
Work to bring "a cleaner, greener future" to a south Wales site, where 2,800 jobs were lost when traditional steelmaking ended, will begin later this will commence on a new electric arc furnace at Port Talbot's Tata steel works, which is expected to be up and running by 2027 and reduce the site's carbon emissions by about 90%.It comes after 2,800 jobs were lost when the site's blast furnaces were shut in September 2024.A union described the announcement as "bittersweet", but the UK government insisted it was a "major win". UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will join the Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and representatives from Tata Steel to officially start the work on the new, greener steel-making the UK government's steel council will meet on Monday to finalise its steel strategy, chaired by UK Industry Minister Sarah Jones and "backed by up to £2.5bn in investment". Community Union said the start of the works in Port Talbot was a "bittersweet day" after the "devastating closure of the blast furnaces" at the union's assistant general secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said: "Today should represent the first step towards rebuilding our steel industry and creating new high-quality jobs for our steel communities."Going forward we must see further investment to develop and grow the business, both here in Port Talbot and across all the crucial downstream sites."He added the union would continue to hold talks with government "on their plans to safeguard and co-invest in our steel industry".The UK government said the milestone was a "major win" made possible by a £500m grant they provided as part of the "improved deal for Port Talbot's transition".Reynolds described it as "great news for Welsh steelmaking", which will give "certainty to local communities and thousands of local jobs for years to come".Chairman of Tata Group Natarajan Chandrasekaran said it was a "ground-breaking" day which "marks not just the beginning of a new electric arc furnace, but a new era for sustainable manufacturing in Britain"."At Port Talbot, we are building the foundations of a cleaner, greener future, supporting jobs, driving innovation, and demonstrating our commitment to responsible industry leadership," he Stevens said the construction of the new furnace "realises the promise we made to the community" and meant "Port Talbot has a bright future".
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tanker drivers lose jobs after refinery collapse
More than 100 tanker drivers have been made redundant after the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery filed for insolvency. Axis Logistics, the main delivery firm for the refinery in North Lincolnshire, went into administration along with parent company Prax Group at the end of June. Administrator Teneo said the majority of Axis's 137 employees had been made redundant, with a few being kept on "for a limited period to support the orderly closure of the business". Community, the union representing the majority of 120 drivers, said the "devastating news" had "come as a shock". Prax Group bought the Lindsey Oil Refinery from French company Total in 2021. The company's financial reports indicated the plant recorded losses of about £75m between the takeover and February 2024. The Official Receiver is ensuring continued safe operations at the site, the government has said. Teneo said Axis had "suffered operational challenges as a result of the wider group insolvencies". The tankers would be sold to raise money, the administrator added. Paul Warren, from the Community Union, confirmed all 120 tanker drivers had been told they were being made redundant. He said the news "came as a devastating shock" and the morale of the drivers "is one of devastation". "It's just a really sad and sorry time," he added. Martin Simpson, who is one of the drivers affected, said: "Yesterday we were told at 4pm via a Teams meeting we would lose our jobs with immediate affect, and no prior warning." He added that he was "very angry" and had not heard when or how he would receive any redundancy payment. He added that all the drivers will now be "chasing the same job". About 50 were based at Immingham, with 25 to 30 in Thurrock, a similar number in Kingsbury and about 10 in Scotland. A Community spokesperson added: "We are seeking further information from the administrators on next steps, and we will be communicating this to our members as soon as we know more." The "dedicated" workforce deserved "far better", the spokesperson added. News of the redundancies comes after a number of petrol stations around Lincolnshire, which were supplied by another company within Prax Group, ran out of fuel over the weekend. On Friday, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said an agreement had been reached to resume deliveries in and out of the site. A DESNZ spokesperson said: "An agreement has been reached to resume deliveries in and out of the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery. The Official Receiver is ensuring continued safe operations at the site. "The UK is well supplied with fuel – the site is right next door to one of the biggest and most efficient refineries in the country and stock levels are normal across the UK." Martin Vickers, MP for Brigg and Immingham, said he will visit the refinery on Friday. "My main aim is to ensure the continuation of the facility and the jobs that go with it because it's a vital part of our local economy," he said. "The government has given assurance that they will maintain supplies and I have no reason to doubt that that it the case." Prax Group has been contacted for a comment. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Click here to download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad. Click here to download the BBC News app from Google Play for Android devices. Deal struck over fuel deliveries at refinery Workers 'left in dark' over oil refinery job fears Government supporting refinery as 420 jobs at risk Prax Group Axis Logstics Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lindsey Oil Refinery collapse leaves 120 tanker drivers redundant
More than 100 tanker drivers have been made redundant after the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery filed for Logistics, the main delivery firm for the refinery in North Lincolnshire, went into administration along with parent company Prax Group at the end of Teneo said the majority of Axis's 137 employees had been made redundant, with a few being kept on "for a limited period to support the orderly closure of the business".Community, the union representing the majority of 120 drivers, said the "devastating news" had "come as a shock". Prax Group bought the Lindsey Oil Refinery from French company Total in 2021. The company's financial reports indicated the plant recorded losses of about £75m between the takeover and February said Axis had "suffered operational challenges as a result of the wider group insolvencies".The tankers would be sold to raise money, the administrator added. Paul Warren, from the Community Union, confirmed all 120 tanker drivers had been told they were being made redundant. About 50 were based at Immingham, with 25 to 30 in Thurrock, a similar number in Kingsbury and about 10 in Scotland. A Community spokesperson said: "We understand that this afternoon our members at Axis Logistics in Immingham were called to a meeting with management and were informed that they would be being made redundant.""We are seeking further information from the administrators on next steps, and we will be communicating this to our members as soon as we know more."The "dedicated" workforce deserved "far better", the spokesperson added. News of the redundancies comes after a number of petrol stations around Lincolnshire, which were supplied by another company within Prax Group, ran out of fuel over the Friday, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said an agreement had been reached to resume deliveries in and out of the site.A DESNZ spokesperson said: "An agreement has been reached to resume deliveries in and out of the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery. The Official Receiver is ensuring continued safe operations at the site."The UK is well supplied with fuel – the site is right next door to one of the biggest and most efficient refineries in the country and stock levels are normal across the UK."Prax Group has been contacted for a comment. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Click here, to download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and here, to download the BBC News app from Google Play for Android devices.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lindsey Oil Refinery workers 'left in dark' over job fears
Employees have been left "in the dark" after the owner of an oil refinery went into administration, a worker has Lindsey Oil Refinery Limited, which owns the plant in Immingham, North Lincolnshire, filed for insolvency on Sunday, putting at least 420 jobs at worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was "worried sick" not knowing if he would be paid his Monday, the government said it would "provide short-term funding to cover the essential operating costs of the refinery" after Unite the Union said 1,000 jobs could be affected when taking into account contractors and the supply chain. The worker said: "I'm feeling let down and upset. We've heard nothing from the company and nothing from the unions – they're just staying tight-lipped. "I'm panicking because I've got a mortgage."At the moment, we don't know if we're going to be paid. So it's playing on your mental health – it's really stressful."He said the collapse of the company had come as a "shock". Prax Group purchased Lindsey Oil Refinery from French company Total in to the Department for Energy Security, the plant recorded losses of about £75m between the takeover in 2021 and February Community Union said its members were "increasingly concerned" and wanted "clarification on where they stand and how they will be impacted by the situation in the wider Prax Group". "We are pursuing an urgent meeting with the company to address our members' concerns," a spokesperson living close to the refinery also expressed their Clark, 85, from the nearby village of North Killingholme, said: "If it's that important, then it's got to be saved and the community will be backing that."Andrew Smith, the manager of the nearby Ashbourne Hotel, added: "I think it would be a big sad loss for everybody if it were to go. It will have a big impact on the community as there's a lot of people locally that work at the refinery or the suppliers." Built in 1968, the Lindsey refinery can process about 113,000 barrels of oil a day. Mick Simpson, a Unite regional officer, said the refinery was making "a significant contribution" to the local and national economy, supplying fuel to petrol stations and in the House of Commons on Monday, Michael Shanks, the energy minister, said the government was actively looking for a buyer for the business and, if that failed, other potential uses for the called on Prax Group's leadership to "do the right thing and provide support to the workers through this difficult period".Earlier in the day, he called for an "an immediate investigation into the conduct of the directors and the circumstances surrounding this insolvency".The Insolvency Service said the official receiver would "wind up the companies in accordance with his statutory duties". "He also has a duty to investigate the cause of the companies' failure and conduct of current and former directors," it consultancy firm Teneo said it had been appointed administrator of State Oil Limited, Prax's parent Boardman, from Teneo, said administrators were "considering all options for the group, including the prospect of a sale for the group's upstream business and retail operations in the UK and Europe, all of which remain outside of insolvency".Prax Group has been contacted for comment. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
