Tata Steel strike set to escalate as management cancels scheduled talks
Unite has served Tata Steel with notice of five more days of strike action over the coming weeks following management’s decision to cancel scheduled talks on pay differentials.
The next strike action follows a 48-hour stoppage last week and will take place from 21:59 hours on Thursday June 26, 2025 until 22.01 on June 30, 2025. There will be another one-day stoppage starting 21.59 on July 10, 2025, with further strike action from 21.59 on July 24, 2025 until 22.01 on July 28, 2025.
The strike action is in addition to the continuous ban on overtime and work to rule and the discontinuous strike action as set out in Notice of Action dated June 11, 2025.
The dispute surrounds the workers’ claim for restoration of pay differentials eroded as a result of pay freezes in recent years.
Management’s last-minute decision to cancel talks scheduled for Tuesday means that the industrial action will proceed as notified.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is disgraceful that skilled workers at a highly profitable company like Tata are being paid poverty wages.
"Tata Steel workers in Lisburn can count on Unite’s full backing in their fight for pay decency.”
Unite regional officer Joanne McWilliams said: “The longstanding failure by Tata’s management to address poverty pay has brought about this dispute.
"Their decision to postpone talks until a wider national pay deal is concluded leaves our members with no option but to take strike action.
“If management wants to avoid further escalation and disruption they must reverse course, come to the table, and address our members’ demands.”