ArcelorMittal Unionists Protests In E Romania, In Ten European Countries, Brussels

The representatives of the main four unions in the ArcelorMittal Galati steel mill are present in front of the steel mill.

The unionists complained about the intention of the ArcellorMittal management board to grant dividends to shareholders, while employees have difficulties due to the lower incomes.

“We are displeased with the fact that the managing board meets tomorrow (Wednesday – e.n.) to grant dividends worth $2.3 billion for 2008. We don’t want the money be given to shareholders. Our suggestion is to have the money invested in the group’s steel mills to create good working conditions and the premises for higher productivity for when the crisis ends,” said Nelu Macovei, vice-president of the Metarom Federation within AcelorMittal Galati.

Unionists ask for concrete joint actions of the employers and the unions, to keep the existing labor force and to have the company ready to keep up with demand for steel after the crisis is over. They want the board to get involved in negotiations for solutions and not to impose certain unilateral measures, to make up for wage loss in the case of short interruptions of activity, to compensate employees correctly based on the group’s productivity, to keep the human capital well trained and to replace retired employees with new staff, to ensure production continuity.

In other ten countries which host steel mills of the ArcelorMittal group, protests are taking place simultaneously.

Employees of the group are attending Tuesday evening a protest in Brussles, which starts from the European Federation for Mettallurgy and ends at the headquarters of the ArceloMittal Group, Radu Nelu, head of the Metarom Union told MEDIAFAX Tuesday.