UK trade unions have said they have temporarily suspended industrial action at Tata Steel, which began yesterday, as the company has made a new offer to the negotiators.The unions had started the industrial action, which included overtime ban and work to rule. However, the plan for strike action on Monday (June 22) has not changed. “Community, along with Unite, GMB and UCATT, is temporarily suspending its industrial action, which began this morning.
“Through talks at ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) yesterday and ongoing dialogue today, union negotiators secured a new offer from the company, which means the scheme would remain open,” a joint statement late last night said.
Members of Community’s National Executive Council, who work for Tata Steel, were presented the new offer at an emergency meeting in london this afternoon, it added.“Those present at the meeting agreed that the company had shifted its position to such an extent that industrial action could be suspended temporarily and steps could be taken to consult members on the revised offer. Consultation will begin with a meeting of senior union delegates from across the company on Friday (June 19),” the statement said.
Trade unions representing workers of Tata Steel in the UK had announced strike action on June 22 -- the biggest industrial action in the UK in nearly three decades -- over proposed changes in the company’s pension scheme.
Tata Steel employs over 17,000 workers across various sites in Wales and around England.Community General Secretary and Chair of National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee Roy Rickhuss said,”It is good that Tata Steel has finally seen sense, participated in the meaningful discussions that unions have been calling for and changed its mind about closing the scheme.”
On June 14, Tata Steel had said the firm had approached British conciliation service ACAS in a bid to resolve the pension dispute with the trade unions. Tata Steel European operations Human Resources ExecutiveDirector Tor Farquhar had said: “We have contacted ACAS to bring in independent expertise in mediating a resolution to the UK pension dispute. We have requested ACAS to immediately approach the National Trade Union Steel Coordinating Committee to ask them to attend talks.”
ACAS provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment laws.“We have been talking to the trade unions since November 2014 to develop a fair and sustainable pension scheme for all UK employees. The company and unions agree that changes need to be made to tackle the scheme’s projected shortfall of up to 2 billion British pound,” Farquhar had said.
last week, Tata Steel told British Parliamentarians that it’s open to “unconditional talks” over the proposed changes to the British Steel Pension Scheme with trade unions.Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s European operations, had met MPs of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Steel to discuss the proposed changes to the company’s UK pension arrangements.