Liberty Steel furloughs 200 workers in South Yorkshire during coronavirus pandemic

The manufacturer is pausing liquid steel production at its Rotherham works for three weeks, starting immediately, due to a drop in demand caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

The firm said employees at the meltshop there would be furloughed during the suspension but downstream operations – including rolling mills – remained open and it was continuing to dispatch products.

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A spokesman for the firm said it was taking advantage of the Government’s job retention scheme, meaning furloughed staff would receive 80 per cent of their normal pay during their temporary leave of absence.

While this would not be topped up in most cases, Liberty said it would ensure everyone gets 80 per cent of their normal wages, even where this exceeds the Government limit of £2,500 a month.

The firm said the 200 workers being furloughed represented about a quarter of its total Rotherham workforce.

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In a statement published yesterday evening, Liberty, which also employs hundreds of people at its Stocksbridge site, said it was ‘adapting its business in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 epidemic’.

“The health and well-being of our people remains Liberty Steel’s top priority. We are therefore taking all necessary steps in accordance with WHO (World Health Organisation) and government advice to protect our workforce, including ensuring that social distancing regulations are followed,” it added.

“It remains our goal to keep our steelworks open, given the key role our industry plays in supplying equipment for essential industries – including healthcare, food production and national infrastructure. However, we are adapting production to meet demand on a site-by-site basis, and taking decisive action where necessary.”

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The firm added: “We are grateful for the support and understanding of our employees, customers, suppliers, unions and the local community.”

Liberty Speciality Steels announced in January that it was planning to cut 250 jobs in Stocksbridge and 33 in Rotherham, with bosses blaming falling demand in the UK and Europe due to ‘political uncertainty and issues around Brexit’.