[FRANCE24] Indian steel giant Tata Steel is expected to sell its British plants, a union front man said Tuesday, a move that could put thousands of jobs at risk in a further blow to Britannia's crisis-hit steel industry.Union representatives had travelled to Mumbai to try to convince Tata to invest in Britannia, where the steel industry is in deep crisis, with businesses blaming high energy costs and cheaper Chinese imports.
"We understand that they're going to announce that they'll divest from their UK plants but we're still waiting for official confirmation on that," Community union front man Matt Ball told AFP.
Tata Steel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tata had previously announced a series of job cuts at its Port Talbot site in Wales, where it employs 4,000 people, with another 3,000 employed as contractors and temporary workers.
Welsh politician Leanne Wood said the prospect was deeply concerning.
"If reports from Mumbai are true, it's devastating," Wood wrote on Twitter. "All must work together now to save our steel industry."