UK Unions to Meet on Monday Over Strike Action at Tata Steel

London: Trade unions -- Community, Unite, GMB and UCATT -- will meet next week on Monday to decide on the "strike action" on Tata Steel's proposal to scrap the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS).

"The National Trade Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee (which brings together Community, Unite, GMB and UCATT unions) will meet early next week to determine the next stage of action," a community spokesperson told PTI.

When asked about the "strike action", he said that the body will meet and then the possible action will be decided.

A senior member from another union, who did not wished to be quoted, said that the meeting is scheduled for Monday and the members will deliberate on whether to go for a 'strike' or a 'short of strike' action.

If the unions decide to go for a strike, the Community spokesperson said: "Unions would have to give 7 days' notice to the company of any action (strike or short of strike)."

Last week, trade unions voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike action against the Mumbai-headquartered steel giant after a ballot of steel workers was sought on a dispute over the existing BSPS.

Tata Steel wants to be replaced BSPS with a "money purchase" pension scheme in which employees, the government and the employer will make definite contributions.

It would also hike the retirement age from 60 to 65.

Three unions -- Community, UCATT, and GMB -- voted in favour of strike action, following a ballot. They represent a large chunk of Tata Steel's 17,000 employees in the UK.

While results of a ballot by the Unite union, which represents around 6,000 workers, are expected tomorrow.

If the unions decide to go ahead with the strike, it will be the biggest labour action in the British steel sector in over three decades.

The developments on the stand-off between Tata Steel and the trade unions has also made the government step into control crisis.

Yesterday, British Prime Minister David Cameron said his government has started discussions with Tata Steel over the strike threat by its workers in the UK.

His remarks came in reply to a question asked in Parliament during his weekly Prime Minister's Question Time by Opposition Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop whether he would engage with Tata to avoid a crisis.

"It is very important that government talks intensively to the leaders of the steel industry, Tata in particular, about what we can do to try and safeguard the jobs and the growth that there have been in the steel industry over previous years," Mr Cameron had said in his response.

On the ballot by the unions, Tata Steel had said: "The result of pension ballots announced earlier today is disappointing given the company is proposing to continue providing employees with highly attractive and competitive pensions."