The
general secretary of Amicus, Sir Ken Jackson, says more than 5,000 jobs could
be lost in the UK because of the US tariffs on steel imports.
He
said the US decision to load a 30 per cent tariff on imports could cost 18,000
steel jobs in the European Union and 5,000 in the UK.
The
union estimates that the losses will occur as cheap steel imports flood into
the EU.
"These
cheap imports could be the nail in the coffin for at least 5,000 jobs," he
said.
The
EU has warned that sanctions could be imposed on the US if it does not comply
with World Trade Organisation rulings over the tariffs.
The
EU is to approach the WTO over President Bush’s decision, and said retaliatory
tariffs may be imposed on other US imports, unlinked to steel.
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