Here we go again - Port Talbot to axe 1,000 steel jobs

Nobody thinks it's funny, Arthur - shame on you for saying so.

[denphone]

Indeed its going to be terrible for all the people who are highly likely going to be losing their jobs..

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Hugh, I apologise for the 'shame' bit, but its frustrating. That nothing can be done to save all those jobs.

But l read this on the Beeb, website. Interesting read

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articl...nment-bail-out

[Ignitionnet]

https://twitter.com/faisalislam/stat...71807702753280

Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam
New tariff announced today re Chinese steel. 46%.
By China. On EU. hi-tec "Grain Oriented Electrical Steel". Made by...Tata Steel in Newport

https://twitter.com/faisalislam/stat...72990408388608

Faisal Islam ‏@faisalislam
So China just slapped a 46% anti dumping duty on the sort of hi tech steel made by TAta Steel in Newport we're told is industry only future

[heero_yuy]

For peeps information "grain orientated steel" is used in electrical transformers of all sizes and is a premium product.

Are China purposefully trying to kill off British steel then?

Given they have a serious over-capacity problem, I suspect they're simply trying to protect their own market. You can't blame them for that. We should be doing the same thing.

[Taf]

Originally Posted by Chris

Given they have a serious over-capacity problem, I suspect they're simply trying to protect their own market. You can't blame them for that. We should be doing the same thing.

And let is not forget that the steel industry was built upon the back of the coal industry, especially in the UK. The sharp decline in the coal industry, especially in regard to it's effect on pollution, has been having a knock-on effect on the steel industry for a few decades at least. Not so in China where coal production and use is still rising.

TATA has been trying to negotiate cheap power prices in the UK which suppliers were refusing to do.

[ianch99]

Putting aside the free market logic to the demise of PT, are there not arguemnts where market intervention should be considered?

- when the industry represents a strategic asset/skill set that is in the National interest to retain
- when the market is being artifically manipulated to remove competition with a view to future price increases when the competition is gone
- when the UK, as part of a larger trading block, should consider tarrifs to advantage block suppliers over Chinese ones. Isn't this what the US did to protect its interests: U.S. Calls for 256% Tariff on Imports of Steel From China ?

Are we sure our Government are taking these into due consideration?

Our Government also has to take EU regulations and guidelines into consideration - it is not a free player in this matter (not saying whether it is a good thing or not, just pointing the fact out).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articl...nment-bail-out

[Stop It]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-35962358

Originally Posted by The BBC

Mr Gupta said the idea was "we would look to transition from blast furnaces to arc furnaces, from imported raw material to domestically available scrap, from making carbon steel to making what we call green steel - melting and recycling scrap using renewable energy."

Oh wait, didn't I say exactly this earlier? May I have a job in consultation for the steel industry please?

[jonbxx]

You do have to ask why the UK government vetoed a beefing up of the EUs anti dumping regulations - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/...ur-with-china/

[denphone]

Tata Steel deal saves 4,400 UK jobs.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/...s-4400-uk-jobs

[Taf]

Greybull actually announced the same investment in December of last year, but as a shareholder.

[Taf]

China has vowed to reduce the amount of steel it makes, Business Secretary Sajid Javid said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36073140

And thus the price will rise.... they're not daft are they....