THE UK’s largest steel industry dispute in three decades is poised to move closer, with thousands of workers preparing to vote for strike action.

Members of the Unite union at Tata Steel are on the brink of supporting a walk-out, as a row over changes to the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) intensifies.

A ballot result, due at the end of the week, is expected to deliver overwhelming support for a strike.

Staff and unions are railing against Tata plans to amend the BSPS, which they fear will make people work until 65.

However, the company, which employs about 750 staff across the region, says the proposals are needed to ease a near £2bn pension scheme deficit.

Unite’s vote will comes just days after workers across the Community union, the largest in Tata, and those in the GMB and Ucatt organisations, voted by almost 9-1 to down tools.

If the action goes ahead, the strike will be the first nationally across the steel sector since the early 1980s, when British Steel bases were shutdown across the UK in a pay dispute.

Unite has 6,000 members at Tata’s UK sites, which include the Teesside Beam Mill, near Redcar, and the Hartlepool Pipe Mill, and has warned members have no fear in causing the first national action for about 30 years if their demands are not met.

Paul Reuter, Unite national officer for steel, added: “Tata has decided it is wrong for staff, who have worked hard in an extremely strenuous and physically demanding environment, to be able to retire with the pensions they were originally promised.

“Our members have made it clear the proposed changes are totally unacceptable.

“Unless Tata enters into further meaningful negotiations that would preserve the pension scheme, the first national industrial action in the industry for 30 years would seem inevitable.”

Unite’s warning comes as senior Community figures met yesterday (Monday, June 2) to begin discussions over what the strike action will entail.

BSPS had 143,000 members as of late last year, with assets of about £13.6bn, but Tata said the tough economic climate was forcing it to make changes.

A spokesman added: “The shortfall of up to £2bn faced by the pension scheme is not the fault of the company or its employees, but it can only be addressed if we and our employees work together.

“The company has already stated to the trade unions and employees it intends to mitigate the impact of the proposed changes.

“We remain hopeful employees will see these proposals and mitigations represent the most fair and balanced way of dealing with the deficit.”