Tata Steel confirms 1,000 job cuts in UK as talks with workers kick off
London, Nov 27: Tata Steel Europe said it had begun consultations with the European Works Council (EWC) on Wednesday on restructuring plans for its business, which would include up to 3,000 job losses 1,000 of which will be in the UK.
The job cuts had been announced by the Indian steel major last week as part of a wider transformation programme as it blamed ongoing losses and continued global headwinds faced by the steel industry.
As part of the comprehensive set of proposals, Tata Steel Europe intends to lower employment costs, the company statement said.
This is expected to lead to an estimated reduction in employee numbers of up to 3,000, about two-thirds of which would be management and office-based roles. Up to 1,600 are expected in the Netherlands, 1,000 in the UK and 350 elsewhere in the world, it said.
Tata Steel said it aims to build a financially strong and sustainable European business, able to make the investments required to accelerate innovation and the company's journey towards carbon-neutral steelmaking.
Tata Steel in Europe CEO, Henrik Adam, said: I'm very proud to see the dedication of everyone in this business, determined to succeed even in the face of a very tough market. I also understand and appreciate colleagues' concerns about these proposals.
Change creates uncertainty, but we cannot afford to stand still as a company the world around us is changing fast and we have to adapt. Our strategy is to build a strong and stable European business, capable of making significant investments needed for a successful future.
During the meeting this week, which marked the official start of the employee consultation process with the EWC workers' unions, Tata Steel Europe said it had shared initial proposals about its transformation programme, focused across three other key areas besides lowering employment costs to improve the company's financial performance.
Increasing sales of higher-value steels by improving product mix and customer focus; efficiency gains by optimising production processes, supported by the application of big data and advanced analytics; and reduction of procurement costs through smarter sourcing and strengthening cooperation with companies within the Tata Steel group are among the other key focus areas of the company's plans.
Tata Steel said it agreed with the EWC on a forward process and will meet again in the coming weeks to discuss further details, with employees and other stakeholders kept updated during the process.
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Govt launches Haj Suvidha App 2.0 for ease of pilgrims
New Delhi, Nov 23: The Minority Affairs Ministry on Saturday launched the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 with the new version introducing key features such as air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims going on Haj.
The application was launched by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after he inaugurated the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees in the presence of Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian and Chairman of the Haj Committee of India Abdullahkutti, among others.
In his address, Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government of India beyond its borders.
He emphasised that Haj has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relationship between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rijiju highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims.
Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya but also in nearby areas close to the Haram.
Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 by Rijiju.
Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations.
