SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Unions are to meet Tata Steel bosses for the first time since plans were announced to produce steel in a greener way at the Port Talbot steelworks.
The UK government and Tata agreed a £1.2bn deal which is likely to result in about 3,000 job losses across the UK.
The Community union said it was "vital" that Tata provided more detail.
Tata Steel said it was "committed to meaningful consultation" and wanted to "find solutions" to union concerns.
Ending blast furnace production in Port Talbot is considered a crucial element in reducing emissions from the UK steel industry.
The site features two blast furnaces working around the clock to produce steel used in everything from tin cans to cars.
The Port Talbot plant is easily the largest polluter in Wales, emitting roughly two tonnes of carbon for every tonne of steel it produces.
The UK government announced on Friday that it had committed up to £500m to Tata's decarbonisation plan, which would fund the installation of new electric arc furnaces. Tata said it had committed £750m.
Tata employs about 8,000 people in the UK, half of whom work in Port Talbot.
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch said the deal protected about 5,000 jobs "which would have been lost", but risked the roles of about 3,000 other workers employed by Tata Steel UK.
Senior executives from Tata Steel UK are expected to meet representatives of Community, Unite and the GMB union at a central London hotel on Wednesday morning.
Community, the steelworkers' union, called for a "meaningful" consultation on the plans.
General secretary Roy Rickhuss said: "Following last week's announcement it is vital that Tata present us with their detailed plans."
He said the union did "not accept" a plan that only included an electric arc furnace in Port Talbot, and which did not consider other technologies.
"Wednesday is the first meeting following the announcement - consultation must be meaningful and Tata must listen to Community and its workforce," he added.
The current blast furnaces produce steel used in everything from tin cans to cars. However, the proposed new £1.25bn furnaces melt scrap metal to form recycled steel.
They are expected to be up and running within three years of getting regulatory and planning approvals.
The company warned there would be a "transition period including potential deep restructuring" at the plant.
Courtesy: www.bbc.com
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