March to save Chorus steel plant

Thousands of people marched on Saturday calling for the UK government to save the Corus steel plant in Redcar, which faces closure.Up to 2,000 jobs are under threat at the plant after a 10-year deal with an international consortium fell through and falling demand for steel compounded the problem.

Unions said up to 5,000 workers and their families attended the “Save our Steel” weekend event, intended to put pressure on the government to provide further help to protect jobs.

Roy Rickhuss from the Community Union said: “We need help, we need support from the government if the manufacturing base in this country is going to survive.. and steel is key to that, without steel there is no manufacturing base in this country.”

Speaking at the rally, Bob Stainthorpe, deputy chairman of the multi-union committee at the Teeside plant, said: “It just shows the public support we have. People come from all over the country to be here, and it tells us that we are not alone.”
He added: “We have sent out a powerful message today. It would be an absolute tragedy if nothing was done to save us.”

A Department for Business spokesman said: “We have offered £5million in training support to help the workforce up skill for the upturn, signalling a real commitment from the government to Corus and its workforce.The difficulties that the company is facing are caused by an extreme downturn in demand for steel around the world."