Hundreds of workers of Tata Steel's unit at IJmuiden in the Netherlands have gone on strike, demanding job security, according to labour union Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV).
The Dutch operations of the company have been facing protests and demonstrations for over a week. According to the Netherlands-based workers' union, employees of Tata Steel are worried and demanding job security from the management.
"This morning the office staff of Tata Steel are on strike in IJmuiden." FNV estimates that about 400 people attended the strike event," FNV said in a statement.
There is enormous anger and concern for their jobs among the workers, FNV Metaal Director Roel Berghuis said, adding, "We keep going. We will not let our company be destroyed. Hands off IJmuiden!"
On Tuesday, he said as long as workers don't get anything to hear from the company's management, the strikes will continue. Since June 10, there have been strikes at several locations in the IJmuiden unit. Due to strikes, work was interrupted in the ore preparation, warehouses, rolling mill, at research and development and other departments.
According to the Dutch labour union, of which thousands of Tata Steel IJmuiden plant workers are members, the "inevitable move" was taken when the management of Tata Steel did not respond to the demands of the employees.
Tata Steel had earlier said it recognises the uncertainty in the minds of the employees and respects the rights of the workers in IJmuiden steelworks.
It had also said that in the current environment of global uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has been working with all stakeholders, including the unions in both Netherlands and the UK, to meet the challenges.
It also requested the union in the Netherlands to postpone industrial action so it could continue discussions and find the best way forward to meet everyone's interests.
The industrial action would only put further pressure on the company's results as it continues to deal with the impact of lower steel demand caused by the pandemic, Tata Steel had said.
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