Following a meeting with steel workers from Trostre last week, I have again approached TATA management to ask if there is any way they could make the deal on the table any more palatable to workers. Whilst we all understand the immense importance of the steelworks to the local economy, when you actually see the facts and figures of what the cut in pensions is going to mean, particularly to older workers, it is clear why they have every right to be very angry – and this cut is on top of a 25% cut in pensions they had to accept a mere 18 months ago. No wonder they are sceptical about company’s promises and feel that they are being bullied into accepting a deal by TATA which just wants to cut back its pension responsibilities. In particular I have asked TATA to consider some tapering arrangements for those workers worst affected because their birthdays fall just the wrong side of the dates for the changes.
