8 December, 2011On December 7 the mobilization launched by the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) was answered at all of ArcelorMittal's European sites. Tens of thousands of workers in ten European countries protested against the company's industrial strategy and job cuts.
EUROPE: Actions at ArcelorMittal sites were organized in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Macedonia.
A press conference was organized in London near ArcelorMittal's key Corporate Finance and Investor Relations offices. "Although it is logical for a company to try and make profits, we do not believe that it is logical for ArcelorMittal to behave like a merchant banker rather than a steel producer" stated EMF Deputy General Secretary Bart Samyn. The trade union representatives then made a symbolic pile of 581 steelworkers' safety helmets, representing 581 jobs under threat in Liège, in front of the company's offices.
The EMF called on ArcelorMittal to respect its commitments in terms of maintaining sites, investments and the development of competence and human capital, especially in slack production periods.
EMF also called on ArcelorMittal management to return to a genuine social dialogue, to commit to the provisions of the agreement signed in 2009 and to take into account the proposals put forward by the workers and their representatives to prepare the future.
For more information, see the EMF website here.