Steelworkers campaign on Fourth Plinth to save jobs

A demonstration to save thousands of steelworkers' jobs in the UK will take place in a series of speeches on Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth this afternoon.

Unite members and Corus workers will surround the plinth waving placards in a bid to save a 150 year-old Teesside plant, as part of sculpture Antony Gormley’s living monument exhibition.

Teesside writer Linda Robinson will read short stories and poems, one of which is dedicated to the Corus workers called ‘Steel River’.

Unite says the community in Teesside will be devastated if this plant were shut down, as thousands of local families and businesses depend on the plant for their livelihoods.

This is in response to news that 2,800 jobs and a further 1,000 jobs from companies supplying Corus are at risk since a consortium of companies pulled out of a 10 year contract.

Unite regional officer Bob Bolam said: "Steel-making is a major part of the UK economy and we are bringing our campaign to save Corus to London to raise the general public's awareness of their plight.

"We call upon Gordon Brown and the government to put every effort into saving steel-making on Teesside for future generations.”

The Gormley exhibition involves different members of the public occupying the empty Fourth Plinth every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days.