INDIA-BASED conglomerate Tata Steel announced plans yesterday to flog off operations in Britain employing 6,500 workers.

Unions slammed the firm for failing to consult over the sale, affecting sites at Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, Teeside, Workington, York and Dalzell and Clydebridge in Scotland.

They supply products for industry including construction and excavation.

Tata bought up much of Britain’s steel industry after it was privatised by the Tories.

The firm has signed a memorandum of understanding with Geneva-based transnational Klesch Group but unions were still waiting to discuss impacts on jobs.

Steelworkers’ union Community general secretary Roy Rickhuss said: “We’re extremely disappointed with the way that Tata Steel have handled this announcement, which does not reflect well on Tata’s values.

“However, I am pleased that Tata Steel chairman Cyrus Mistry has now agreed to meet the unions and I hope this can take place soon so that we can start to address the understandable worries and concerns of our members, their families and communities.”

Community, Unite and the GMB said jointly that they were made aware of the “fait accompli” just two days ago, despite long-standing consultation agreements.

“The unions have been treated with contempt in this process as the level of consultation that we would expect ahead of such a major strategic announcement has not taken place,” they said in a statement.

They urged Tata to step back and carry out consultation and called on the government to step in to ensure “a future for industrial assets of strategic importance to the UK’s construction, infrastructure and manufacturing base.”

Labour shadow industry minister Iain Wright echoed the unions’ concerns.

“The UK steel industry supports thousands of skilled jobs. It is an essential part and foundation of a modern economy with manufacturing at its heart. That’s why Labour has urged the need for a proper industrial strategy supporting our key sectors,” he said.

“Long products represent an important part of the UK steel industry — we want to see this maintained and further developed in this country and will work constructively to ensure this happens.”