Iron and steel industry in all European countries

On November 30th, the French government withdrew the nationalization of the ArcelorMittal Florange steel plant, saying that it had obtained the commitment from Arcelor Mittal that the latter will invest in the Florange steel plant. Then fire the workers. (Related reports can be found in the B2 version of this report on December 1)

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said that ArcelorMittal will invest 180 million euros in the Florange steel plant that had left two blast furnaces 18 months ago, and promised not to force the dismissal of these two units. About 630 workers in the blast furnace.

Ello said that because of the weak steel demand in Europe, the two blast furnaces of the Florange steel plant will not resume production at present. However, ArcelorMittal will put them in a normal state for future use in a pilot project for environmentally friendly steel production.

Elo said: "The government decided to abandon the plan for the temporary nationalization of the Florange steel plant that was recently considered, and three minutes before the deadline, it obtained the commitment of Arcelor Mittal." Aero revealed that Arcelor Mittal The new investment will strengthen Florange Steel's cold steel and packaging operations and ensure jobs in these areas. ArcelorMittal guarantees that the investment in the Florange steel mill will not affect its spending in other French factories.

Eero did not disclose the details of what the workers would do after they were not fired, nor did he disclose the timing of the use of EU credit to transform the two blast furnaces to make environmentally friendly steel.

Arcelor Mittal confirmed the details of the agreement reached with the French government and stated that it will negotiate with the unions the agreement to voluntarily leave the workers.

The blasts at the Florange mill will continue to be idle rather than re-produce to make the workers angry. They also questioned Arcelor Mittal’s promise to provide 630 workers with optional packages and early retirement packages. Workers at the Florange Steel Plant stated that the agreement was far from meeting their expectations of the French government when it took office in May, when the French government promised to combat the French industrial recession and massive unemployment.

Trade union leaders at the Florange Steel Plant expressed their anger at the agreement and vowed to continue fighting to find out why the government had to make concessions to ArcelorMittal. Edouard Martin, head of the Florange Steel Mills Union, said that what the former President Sarkozy had done was a “nightmare” for the union. Analysts believe that Sarkozy's defeat in the general election in May this year, the influence of trade unions is a factor, and may soon become a factor affecting the current President Hollande.

Asellello Mittal said that as a company that employs 20,000 workers in France, it refused to accuse him of failing to fulfill his promise.

In 2009, ArcelorMittal also aroused the fury of the union when it closed a steel mill near Gandrange and fired about 500 workers. Sarkozy had promised to continue the construction of this factory.