threatened with closure, the Reims and Denain sites on spontaneous strike

The ArcelorMittal service centers in Reims (Marne) and Denain (North), which the steel giant said on Tuesday it was considering closing, went on spontaneous strike this Wednesday, AFP learned from the unions. “The Denain and Reims sites are completely on strike. Everyone left, spontaneously, without calling for a strike.declared Benoît Jean-Leroy, CFDT delegate of the ArcelorMittal Service Centers site in Reims. The Denain site had already gone on strike on Tuesday.

“There is a good chance” that this strike continues in the coming days, before «actions» at the start of next week, while a first information meeting on a job protection plan (PSE) must be held on Monday in Reims, and not in Metz as the group initially planned, added Benoît Jean- Leroy. ArcelorMittal announced Tuesday evening the “possible stop” of its ArcelorMittal Service Center sites in Reims and Denain“due to a sharp drop in activity among its customers in industry and automobiles, which has accelerated in recent months.” This could lead to the loss of around 130 jobs, around a hundred in Reims and around thirty in Denain, according to the unions.

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A “180 degree turn”

ArcelorMittal is currently only talking about a potential closure of these sites, but in reality there is already little doubt about it, again according to Benoît Jean-Leroy. “ArcelorMittal, for years, made its profit in Europe” and is committed to decarbonized site projects, but “we can see very clearly that the group is taking a 180 degree turn and going elsewhere by investing in the United States, Brazil and India,” again deplored this CFDT delegate, hoping for a “political support” pour “defend steel production in France and Europe”.

“We are trying to digest the news. For us, the CGT, the priority is not the check but to maintain the industrial tool. David Blaise, CGT central delegate, also told AFP on Wednesday, also confirming the current strikes in Reims and Denain. “Unfortunately we are the first, but the ArcelorMittal group in France and Europe will announce many operations (restructuring, Editor’s note) in the coming weeks”predicts Benoît Jean-Leroy again.