At the OECD Steel Committee in Paris on March 25-26, stating that global excess capacity keeps rising due to irresponsible practices by some major steel companies and misguided actions by some governments who keep expanding capacity rather than investing in the green transition, the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD said that this issue will negatively affect steel workers in favor of short-term profit maximization. The committee stated that concerns are rising over the unjust transition where only financial goals are prioritized over environmental and social responsibilities.
Pointing out that some steel companies, such as Tata Steel UK, refuse to negotiate with union representatives for the involvement of workers in the transition process, TUAC stated that there is a growing concern that workers will bear the cost of essential investments in carbon emission reduction, through mass dismissals rather than re-training.
TUAC, IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe are urgently calling for a re-evaluation of priorities within the steel industry. “We need governments to take decisive steps to support economic growth and to ensure that steelworkers are not left behind as the industry transitions to green technology,” Veronica Nilsson, general secretary of TUAC, said.