‘Heed lessons of the past’

Steel, essential to UK industry and making it secure was at the heart of this motion. It recognised steel?s vital importance to our national economy, resilience, and security, as well as its central role in supporting regional economies across the country.

It also noted that steel provides thousands of high-quality, skilled jobs and is a cornerstone of our industrial base. Although the government had committed itself to the industry and its workers, UK steelmaking remains under huge pressure.

The motion called on the TUC General Council to work with the Labour government to continue championing and supporting the steel industry at every level; ensure the government uses all available levers to lower wholesale energy prices for UK steelmakers

collaborate on developing and delivering the steel strategy; safeguard the UK?s strategic steel assets and primary steelmaking capability.

Unite delegate Steve Phillips, spoke in support.

He said that if you looked back at the last decade at Congress, with all the motions heard on steel you could ?chart a story of industrial vandalism.?

He continued, ?It has been a story which very nearly ended with the UK ? a country with a 300-year history of steelmaking ? almost losing the industry for good.

?This year the situation facing our steel industry begins to look more hopeful, but it is no less precarious. Only urgent and bold action will finally bring about the end of this crisis.

?This year the ground was broken for the construction of the new Electric Arc Furnace at Port Talbot, which is scheduled to go online in 2027.

?But we are still waiting for the second phase of government investment in Tata ? a key action for the 2.5bn steel fund that we secured in the manifesto ? almost the only hard money commitment that made it into that document.

?We are also waiting for a commitment to a Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) facility, and we need to ensure a future for primary steel making in the UK. There is a long way to go ? but we can still be a global leader in Green Steel production with the right investment.

?In Scunthorpe, the government finally moved to take control of British Steel to prevent its collapse ? retaining the UK?s ability to make virgin steel, preventing thousands of job losses and securing a ?500m on rail contract.

?And most recently, Speciality Steels UK has fallen out of the hands of the imploding Liberty Steel group and into the control of the government.?

Steve urged delegates to note ?The lessons of the recent past must be heeded here. In 2019 British Steel?s then owner Greybull collapsed, forcing the government to step in. Rather than retaining a public stake the Tories only prepared British Steel for sale.

?Ultimately, they handed it to Jing-ye, whose disastrous ownership took it to the very brink of destruction once again. Congress, surely history cannot be repeated again. We must urge the government to hold their nerve and to move to a full nationalisation of British Steel.

?As a minimum, the government must retain a public stake in our steel industry and ensure that government investment means guaranteed jobs.?

He stressed, ?Congress, make no mistake. We are not calling on the government to prop up a failing industry. An ambitious use of public procurement ? from defence to infrastructure ? can ensure there is a long pipeline of demand for UK-made steel.

?It is a major step forward that the multibillion-pound investment programme from Heathrow Airport will include UK-made steel. But more can and must be done.

?It?s time for steel to be recognised as a Critical National Infrastructure ? with strict guidelines that 100 per cent of UK infrastructure projects will use UK-made steel. Other countries do it, why can?t it be done here?? he asked.

Steve concluded, ?There are more chapters to come in the story of steel industry. And no doubt there will be more speeches. Let?s make sure they speak of successes, not crisis.?

The motion was carried.

By Amanda Campbell

Photo by Mark Thomas