After the catastophe of of TATA, and the disgusting "hands off" betrayal of British steel workers by the last government, at least there is a little good news for my friends and fellow grubby Little
Sold off to TATA, Redcar steelworks was then closed down. Mothballed was the term - but mothballs don't feed the kids.
Finally earlier this year, TATA sold Redcar to Thai steelmaker Sahaviriya Steel Industries (trading as SSI UK).
Billothewisp has to admit that at the time I thought that the future looked bleak - Yet another foreign owner of a strategic industry. I has dark thoughts as to the purpose of this purchase.
Possibly SSI was there only to extract as much in goverment grants, secure extortionate trade deals, run the plant into the ground and then dissapear. Or worse, simply keep the place closed so removing a competitor from the market (which was, I suspect TATA's original motive).
But so far, SSI look like a significant improvement over TATA.
SSI are planning to reopen Redcar and have now started hiring, so we should perhaps give them the benefit of the doubt. (See their Website Here)
The need for jobs, and the eagerness of the people the North East to gain honest work in a hard and gruelling industry is shown by the fact that each of the 1000 jobs had at least ten applicants. (See BBC Report Here)
On many occasions, the people of the North East have been sold down the river by government. This betrayal has been variously aided and abetted by the sharp suits in London and a putrid adherence to the false doctine of Globalisation.
This betrayal has gone on for far too long.
It is about time the good people of the North East had a few (dozen) good breaks.
I still have my fears and reservations. But at this time, I wish SSI Ltd all the best.
