Some 650 workers at Tata’s Trostre plant are breathing sighs of relief after Labour’s successful bid to remove hard-hitting 25 per cent tariffs on aluminium and steel, said Dame Nia Griffith MP.
The news of the deal, brokered by the Prime Minister with US President Donald Trump, is a major boost as the aluminium factory benefits from a large export market in North America, where the plant’s specialist Polymer-lined coating is a huge seller.
Jobs were in jeopardy after President Trump announced he was imposing swingeing 25 per cent tariffs on aluminium and steel, which threatened to decimate sales of the Trostre-made product.
Ms Griffith said: ‘It is fantastic news that the Labour Government has seen off the 25 per cent tariff.
‘This removes the awful threat of losing trade which would make the factory less viable, with 650 jobs at stake.
‘Ther valuable export market is now protected, which contributes hugely to making Trostre a viable plant into the future.
‘They are pretty unique in making this Protact polymer lining so there was a lot of worry and anxiety felt by the workers and their families.
‘So thank goodness our Labour Government managed to get the tariffs completely removed.
‘So now there are zero tariffs exports to the United States from Trostre will carry on apace, giving greater security and making our Trostre factory more viable and more profitable.’
The MP also revealed that over 120 workers from Port Talbot’s huge steel plant have transferred to work at Trostre, enabling them to keep their livelihoods.
Former senior union official at Trostre, Andrew Bragoli, who is Labour’s candidate for the Lliedi ward county council seat in Llanelli, said the news was ‘fantastic’ for the whole of Llanelli and the surrounding areas.
‘The factory, with its 650 workforce, plus contractors, is worth £40 million to the local economy every year.
‘It is the biggest private employer in Carmarthenshire. The wages of the workforce is spent in the community so this is a massive boost securing the jobs for the future and many more in local shops and businesses.
‘Closure of the factory would have been a disaster, but this deal has been fantastic for the men working there.’
Mr Bragoli, who is a town councillor, worked at the Trostre plant for over 40 years, and was a Community Union rep for 20 years.
He said he was ‘delighted’ for the workforce and those that had just joined from Port Talbot.
‘It’s great for them all. The workers from Port Talbot are mainly people in the younger bracket with families and mortgages, so it’s great news all-round,’ said Mr Bragoli.
Discover more from Carmarthenshire News Online
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.