Community: The Union for Life

RE: Scunthorpe Framework of Principles Ballot

This letter is to confirm that the ballot under the Framework of Principles will not now be going ahead.

As you will no doubt be aware, Corus announced a round of restructuring on Thursday 25 June, which included up to 500 possible job losses in Scunthorpe.

Your representatives immediately took the decision to suspend the ballot as at no point in the discussions to try and come to an agreement was the possible restructuring mentioned by local management. In this new context the unions felt that the ballot could not proceed and Corus management was informed of that view.

On Wednesday afternoon this week the multi-union and national officers, led by Community, met with Corus management to try and find a way through. It was abundantly clear that the premise of the ballot was fundamentally flawed in so far as the numbers within the proposal did not take account of management’s restructuring. We appreciate you will find this situation confusing as you had already received a ballot paper and we made it clear to management that this debacle had damaged their credibility.

Community acknowledges the hard work put in by local union representatives over many weeks. It is disappointing that all their hard work was scuppered by Corus not being upfront about all their plans for Scunthorpe.

Corus indicated they may now have to review manning levels further. Rest-assured, Community, through your local branches, will provide every assistance through these coming months, maintaining our principle of opposing any compulsory redundancies.