ArcelorMittal’s workers to go on open strike in Algeria

Secretary General of ArcelorMittal Kouadria Smail Tuesday said the group’s workers will go on open strike on Saturday.

• “The workers led by their representatives will enter on open strike next Saturday only if ArcelorMittal bans its decision to raise their pay by 4 percent,” Kouadria Smail told a news conference.
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• He added that the workers’ union must attend talks due to be held in September about partnership with Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal.
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• “The administration has drawn the group’s capacities and turned it into scrap,” he said.
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• Earlier last week, the union agreed on going on open strike because ArcelorMittal’s administration did not satisfy workers’ demand of pay raise.
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• The workers committed to continue the strike until they get 10 to 35 percent pay raise.
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• Perviously, Algerian industry minister Mohamed Benmeradi told the union the government works on workers’ concerns and the satisfaction of investment requirements in the group.