Steelworkers’ union welcomes crucial recommendation from regulator to protect UK Steel

Today the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) published its recommendation to extend the UK’s steel safeguarding measure for another two years.

This measure protects the UK steel industry from surges of imported steel. A failure to extend this measure leaves the UK steel industry extremely vulnerable as both the United States and European Union are retaining their own protections. This would see cheap steel imports diverted from the US and EU markets to the UK market severely undercutting our domestic steel production.

The TRA has been reviewing whether or not to extend the safeguarding measures for imports of category 1 steel products into the UK. Community union strongly called for the extension of the safeguarding measure as high energy costs, the aftermath of Covid, and greener steel making processes would have made the UK steel industry unable to compete with a surge of cheap high carbon produced steel from other countries. Particularly with protections still in place for the EU and US.

Assistant General Secretary of Community Union, the steelworkers Union, Alasdair McDiarmid Said:

“Community Union welcomes today’s report by the TRA. It is vital for our steel industry that its’ recommendation for an extension of the safeguarding measures be adopted by the UK Government for another two years at least. Unions and business are united on this call for action from the Government.

“Should the UK Government fail to heed the TRA’s recommendations then we will see the UK’s steel market flooded with cheap dirty steel at a time when our industry is reeling from high energy prices and the aftermath of Covid.

“We’re also calling on the Government within these two years to develop a comprehensive Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to protect our steel industry from cheap carbon intensive steel imports. The European Union is moving ahead at speed on their own CBAM and the UK Steel industry can not be left in the dust.

“It’s time for the Government to show it backs our steel industry and our steelworkers.”

Community is the steelworkers’ union. More steelworkers are members of Community than any other union, and we represent the vast majority of workers impacted by Tata’s decarbonisation plans. We have a history dating back over a century, representing members and campaigning to protect Britain’s steel industry. We are a modern trade union, campaigning for a better working world.

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