Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary of Community Union, has been visiting our Scunthorpe site this week to meet with trade unions leaders and employees and recognise the hard work and dedication they have shown to help deliver our transformation plan.
Roy toured both Scunthorpe Rail and Section Mill Area 3 and the Basic Oxygen Steelmaking plant.
Roy said: “I want to thank everyone at British Steel for inviting me to visit and giving me such a warm welcome. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time out on site. It’s been great to talk face-to-face with some of our officials and members who have done a sterling job here over the past 18 months. It’s great to see and hear the positivity there now is across the business.
“Those I spoke to were telling me it’s not just more positive at the steelworks but across the whole town. The new name, the new regime, the new owners – it’s all helping the business move in the right direction.
Community is the largest union at the Scunthorpe site and the visit was well received by all who met with Roy.
British Steel Multi-union Chairman Paul McBean said: “Our members have shown immense support to the business and having Roy with us over the last two days to recognise this effort has helped to further improve morale. Our industry continues to face many challenges and as British Steel we still have a journey ahead of us to reach long term sustainability – we need to use the positivity Roy has mentioned to help us on this journey.”
During his visit Roy talked openly to employees and they had the opportunity to put questions to him. Roy said: “Among other topics I discussed with those I met, was the subject of pensions and I recognise that this subject continues to be a worry for many. While it’s not possible at this stage to say what will happen in regards this issue, we will continue to consult with our members and make sure their interests are recognised.”