Live updates as Tata's Port Talbot steelworks expected to cut thousands of jobs this year

Thousands of job losses will start at Tata's Port Talbot plant this year it is now expected. Reports have emerged after a meeting between unions and Tata bosses in London that the Indian-owned steel giant has rejected a union proposal to carry out its planned transformation to green steel manufacturing in a slower, less painful way.

It is understood all parts of Tata's UK operation could be impacted, from those employed at works to those in admin roles. Tata has works in Wales at Trostre in Llanelli, Llanwern in Newport, Catnic in Caerphilly, Shotton in Deeside and the largest part of its workforce at Port Talbot. There are distribution centres elsewhere in the UK and development facilities, including in Swansea as well as works in Hartlepool, Corby and Wednesfield.

Some of the 3,000 expected job losses are expected to start in April, with the bulk having taken place by September this year, according to BBC reports. Both blast furnaces at the Port Talbot steelworks are set to shut.

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However, there will be no formal announcement by Tata until Friday lunchtime and unions have said they will speak to their members first before publicly announcing more detail.

We understand the steel giant has told unions today it will go ahead with its own plan to close the blast furnaces at the site and replace them with electric arc furnaces. They are greener, but require fewer staff and it is expected to lead to mass redundancies at the Port Talbot plant and more elsewhere in the supply chain.

The current method of steel production, which involves making new steel in