Tata Steel set to cut 3,000 jobs, unions seek urgent talks

Tata Steel are set to cut 3,000 jobs across Europe and unions are seeking urgent talks with the Port Talbot owners.

The announcement of the job cuts was made on Monday evening and it was done without consulting workers' representatives.

Tata on Monday said it was urgently seeking to increase sales of higher value products and improve efficiency, as well as reducing employment costs.

The job cuts show the difficulties in the sector and are expected to be mostly in office-based jobs in mainland Europe, Tata communicated.

The announcement also followed a decision by Tata Steel to close another South Wales factory in Newport.

Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, said the steelworkers’ trade union would fight to hold Tata Steel to a jobs guarantee that lasts until 2021.

"This is a shocking announcement, which will worry many steelworkers and their families in the UK and across Europe," he said. "This news has been badly handled and the company should hang its head in shame with the way this development has been communicated."

According to Reuters, steelworkers in Britain and the Netherlands said on Tuesday that they would fight Tata Steel’s plans.