Tata Steel workers in the UK go on strike for the first time in 40 years

Tata Steel workers in the UK are going on strike for the first time in more than 40 years after the Indian steelmaker rolled out cost-saving measures including massive job cuts.

About 1,500 workers in Port Talbot and Llanwern, Wales, will go on an indefinite general strike over the company's plans to cut 2,800 jobs and close blast furnaces by the end of September, the Unite union said in a press release on Friday.

The company currently employs more than 8,000 people in the UK, meaning job cuts will amount to more than a third of its UK workforce.

Tata had previously proposed turning around its loss-making UK business by switching to low-carbon electric arc furnaces. The plan was supported by British government subsidies of £500 million ($632 million).

The strike, which begins on July 8, is expected to have a major impact on Tata's UK operations and recovery plans.

The situation escalated after workers represented by Unite, the country's leading union, began working under an overtime rule and ban earlier this week.

The union said the strikes will continue until Tata stops its “catastrophic plans.”

In a statement, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Tata workers are not just fighting for their jobs - they are fighting for the future of their communities and the future of the steel industry in Wales."

“Our members will not stand by while this extremely wealthy conglomerate tries to scrap Port Talbot and Llanwern so it can step up its activities overseas. They know that South Wales is ideally positioned to take advantage of the coming clean steel boom – if the right choices are made.”

Meanwhile, Tata called on Unite to suspend the action and return to discussions with other unions. In April the company warned it could withdraw proposed extended redundancy packages if workers went on strike, the BBC reported.

According to a separate BBC report, Labor has already called on Tata to halt its plans and wait until after the general election to begin negotiations with the government, saying there is a "better deal".

The party pledged £3 billion to buy steel from the UK if elected next month, and Unite has delivered on that commitment. He has also made emergency talks with Tata a priority if he wins the election.