Around 3,000 jobs at risk at UK’s biggest steelworks despite government-backed package of support

By PAN PYLAS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Around 3,000 workers at Britain’s biggest steelworks face the prospect of losing their jobs as part of a government-backed package to make the plant “greener.” In an announcement Friday, the British government confirmed widespread speculation that it will pump up to 500 million pounds ($620 million) into the loss-making Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales. Tata, the Indian conglomerate that owns the steelworks, will use the funding to help switch the plant’s two coal-fired blast furnaces to electric arc versions that can run on zero-carbon electricity. Tata warned last year that its U.K. operations were under threat unless it secured Government funding to help it move to less carbon-intensive electric arc furnaces.