The reopening of the Sestao ACB, closed since July, is an increasingly difficult idea for the leaders of Arcelor Mittal. On the contrary, they are considering extending the ERTE throughout 2023, making this proposal extend to the rest of the plants in Spain. On the 27th, this information will be transferred to the unions during the meeting of the consultation period.
The Sestao plant has a workforce of 250 workers who have been without activity since the summer after a “maintenance shutdown” that did not end as planned, causing great uncertainty about when it will resume operation. In the case of the ACB, this erte is its own and differential from the rest of the plants in Spain. In theory, this situation should end on December 31, but the decision to extend it for another year is a possibility that the Committee will regularly evaluate this week.
The other plants in Spain
In the rest of the plants owned by Arcelor Militar, an initial ERTE was revealed that would last three months until December 2022, however, it has also been proposed to extend it for the following year, as in San Sestao. This ERTE will affect 8,550 workers, representing 100% of the workforce, and if necessary during 2023, it would be activated or not depending on the individual needs of each plant.
Company sources have specified that extending the ERTEs is motivated by the current situation in the steel market, which has a “very low demand” and a “high number” of imports from outside the EU.
Arcelor Mittal points out that the first half of the year will continue to be characterized by downward trends in demand and a recovery is not expected in the short term, so expanding ERTES is the only feasible solution within the market.
In this scenario, Arcelor Mittal maintains shutdowns at the Sestao ACB and the Bergara plant in Gipuzkoa, given the impact on long products, and the blast furnace A in Asturias.
