ArcelorMittal's Social Plan: A Day of Mobilization in the Streets and in Parliament

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As several hundred employees of the steelmaker gathered this Tuesday morning, May 13, in front of the company's French headquarters, LFI MP Aurélie Trouvé announced the submission of a nationalization bill.

Hundreds of people rallied outside ArcelorMittal's French headquarters in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis), where negotiations with unions over the social plan began on Tuesday, May 13. (Leo Vignal/AFP)

by Eloi Coupry and Frantz Durupt

"If we have to put Dunkirk to fire and blood, we will do it!" The tone is set by this ArcelorMittal employee who came to demonstrate with several hundred colleagues in front of the steelmaker's French headquarters in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis), where negotiations with the unions began on Tuesday, May 13, regarding the social plan announced on April 23. This plan targets 636 job cuts in France, including 295 for the Dunkirk site. Red smoke bombs held as a banner, CGT flags brandished, and the Internationale sung in unison. On a podium decorated in the union's colors, the speeches continued. Standing among the protesters, his eyes tired from the struggle, Joël V. is saddened: "In thirty-five years in the company, this is the first time I've seen so much damage to people. The state of mind is really negative in the teams."

"We want decarbonization projects in France, we want green steel. We know how to make steel, and if Mi

Dunkerque ArcelorMittal Industries