Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/613/8883
From The Socialist newspaper, 24 February 2010
Anger on Teesside over Corus closure
AS THE process of shutting down the blast furnace at Teesside's Corus steel plant began, hundreds of steelworkers, their families and people from the local community turned out. The mood was sombre as 170 years of steelmaking on Teesside came to an end.
Elaine Brunskill
Alongside union banners, homemade placards declaring, "Steelworkers have dignity, Tata & Brown have shame," and a message for Mandelson, "If you have your chequebook come here - If not go home to your ivory tower Mr Mandelson."
Steelworker Mike Guess commented on the speculation that Corus could be bought up by a consortium: "We don't want a venture capitalist taking over - they just want to cut wages, cut workers and sell off our assets. We'll end up with nothing - not even our redundancy pay." ... "The plant should be renationalised, we are a profitable company."
Mike explained that the future looked bleak: "What's on offer? Nothing!" Earlier we were told that an on-site JobCentre Plus had a notice board offering only nine jobs.
Mike continued: "Today is a sad day for the Labour Party. I don't know anyone here who is going to vote Labour."
This mood was reflected in a poll for the local paper which revealed 84% of people don't believe the North-East has benefited from the last 13 years of Labour governments.
Elizabeth English, whose partner has worked at Teesside's Corus plant for around 28 years, said, "There's going to be nothing left around here. It's not just the 1,600 workers directly employed by Corus, there's around 4,000 agency workers, then there's the knock-on effect on the local high street."
She also spoke about the lack of opportunities for young people in the area. "There's no future for young ones. No physical jobs with apprentices - especially for young lads. Young people will be forced to move out of the area."
Bailouts
On Question Time, which was held in Middlesbrough the previous evening, the discussion was dominated by Corus. Members of the audience wanted to know why billions of pounds of taxpayers' money had been used to bail out banks, yet the government was sitting back and letting the steel industry in Teesside die.
Steelworkers' unions are now considering industrial action. The Socialist Party has consistently called on trade unions to defend jobs on Teesside. However, to make these announcements on the eve of shutting down the furnaces is extremely late in the day.
Rather than relying on the outside possibility that some profiteer will step in, Corus should be renationalised and run under democratic workers' control and management.
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 24 February 2010:
Private 'vultures' to run NHS hospital
How to stop cuts and defend public services
Demo opposes £29m Notts county cuts
Youth fight for jobs
Young people deserve a future: Join the Manchester march for jobs on 13 March
Youth Fight for Jobs Demonstrations
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)
RMT branch supports challenge to Denham
Support the TUSC election challenge
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition General Election launch rally
Socialist Party news and analysis
British Airways cabin crew v management: Round two
Anger on Teesside over Corus closure
ID cards - an expensive threat to civil liberties
Tories attack community café...
Comment
Unison witch-hunt
Nominate Roger Bannister: Unison's leadership battle
Workplace news and analysis
South Wales: Demo against council cuts
Staythorpe: the fight for workplace safety
Port workers battle bosses... and high court
Leeds university: Support lecturers striking to save jobs
Fighting leadership needed for UCU
CWU women vote for political review
International socialist news and analysis
CWI Latin America school: A continent on the brink
Iraq: All eyes on the oil prize
Socialist Party news and analysis
Campaigning rights victory: But questions remain on new Waltham Forest policy
Anti-racism
How can the racist BNP be defeated?
Scottish Defence League defeated: Working class political alternative urgently needed
Home | The Socialist 24 February 2010 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
