A PETITION signed by thousands of people urging ministers to save the Alcan smelter in Northumberland will today be delivered to Parliament.
Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery will hand in the petition, with more than 4,000 names, in a last-ditch effort to avert the closure of the site at Lynemouth by owners Rio Tinto.
The GMB organised the Save our Smelter (SOS) petition in a bid to save the hundreds of jobs at risk of being lost with the imminent closure of the facility.
Mr Lavery said: “This petition is extremely important. It is important in the context that the people who took the time to sign it are extremely concerned about the situation regarding Rio Tinto Alcan and south east Northumberland.
“Their voice will be heard in Parliament.”
The Labour MP added: “It gives a clear cut message to the rest of the UK that the people of south east Northumberland really do care what happens to Rio Tinto Alcan and are appealing to the Government to try and keep these much needed jobs in the local economy.”
GMB regional organiser Keir Howe said: “It is about making sure that the Government is looking at the plight of Alcan and looking at supporting jobs in the region.
“It is extremely important because it is the biggest private sector employer in Northumberland.
“And European and Government policies and legislation are causing the problem.”
She added it set down a marker in terms of the threat to the wider energy intensive industry. “I think we are going to see the demise of that sector as a result of green taxes in this country and this is only the start,” said the union official.
The developments come as Mr Lavery has appealed for help for the area from new Energy Secretary Ed Davey and Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Rio Tinto has said the Lynemouth smelter is already a high-cost operation and that with increasing costs from green taxes, it is “impossible” to run it profitably – with similar pressures felt by such plants across the world. Mr Cable, who has visited the site, has said the Government had sought to help Rio Tinto.
“Now that the company has decided to go ahead with closure, we will see what we can do to help the people in the area,” said the Liberal Democrat minister.
It is extremely important because it is the biggest private sector employer in Northumberland
