Unions outline plan to keep steel furnaces open

Unions have put forward a plan to keep blast furnaces in Scunthorpe open.

The GMB, Community and Unite unions said they met bosses from British Steel's Chinese owners Jingye Group this week.

The two furnaces have been earmarked for closure since 2023, with a plan to switch to more energy-efficient electric arc furnaces (EAF).

The unions presented their plan to maintain a two-blast-furnace operation throughout the transition to the EAFs.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the GMB said British Steel had "warmed" to the plan, but needed the government to move on carbon.

The union's Charlotte Brumpton-Childs said: "The multi-union plan means Scunthorpe having both blast furnaces open as the site transitions to low carbon steelmaking. 

"We believe that keeping the blast furnaces running is vital as it will reduce the risks of the transition and protect thousands of jobs."

She added: "For our plan to be viable, we need ministers to provide relief from these policy costs, just as other European countries have done.

"Thousands of jobs and primary steelmaking cannot be lost because carbon costs rule out British Steel pursing a sensible and just transition to low carbon steelmaking."

A British Steel spokesperson said: "We are in ongoing discussions with the government about our decarbonisation plans and the future operations of our UK business.

"While progress continues, no final decisions have been made."

The initial plan involved shutting Scunthorpe's two blast furnaces and building EAFs at Scunthorpe and Teesside.

However, last month, Scunthorpe MP Sir Nic Dakin said he was "quietly hopeful" that both EAFs would be built in the town.

Unions claim the closure of the blast furnaces could see up to 2,000 jobs lost in North Lincolnshire.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said the government "will simply not allow the end of steel making in the UK".

"We're working across government in partnership with trade unions and businesses, including British Steel, to secure a green steel transition that's right for the workforce, represents a good investment for taxpayers and safeguards the future of the steel industry in Britain," they added.

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