Steel workers walk out over pensions

HUNDREDS of steel workers have joined Britain's first pensions walkout. Workers at Caparo works at Wrexham and Tredegar in Wales and Scunthorpe in the north of England are protesting at the company's decision to close its final-salary pension scheme.

Caparo, which employs 2,000 people at 20 sites around Britain, is headed by Labour peer Lord Paul. Today's action is the first in a series of 24-hour strikes aimed at forcing the company to reverse its decision.