The steel industry tripartite reached an agreement on ArcelorMittal’s restructuring plan. Job guarantees were obtained as well as the maintenance-–for 5 years (2021 to 2025)-- of the company’s sites in Luxembourg, including the headquarters.

Trade union LCGB says it welcomes this agreement, which will be officially drafted at the beginning of the upcoming year, "with satisfaction", the result of no less than "14 working group meetings". Besides the planned natural departures (retirements, early retirement shift and other departures), the plan also foresees early retirement adjustments. 240 employees, born during or before 1964, will be able to benefit from this measure. A forecast scenario will be developed for the years 1965-1966.

Training and reclassification unit

At the same time, all employees who have lost their jobs will be integrated into a new reclassification unit, with the objective to accompany employees in order to ultimately reassign them to a permanent position as quickly as possible. 280 employees could join this scheme.

Additionally, to avoid partial unemployment, temporary missions as well as temporary labour leasing, continuous training and other options will be made available.

On the subcontracting side, the agreement provides for the suspension of outsourcing of 60 full-time staff, which corresponds to almost half of the initial projects.

Up to €202.5m invested

In addition, ArcelorMittal’s management is said to have committed to invest between €165m and €202.5m to ensure the future of the company’s jobs and activities, the OGBL states. "ArcelorMittal has committed to paying a financial contribution to the State if the planned investments are not implemented, which is a first in the history of the Luxembourg social model," deputy prime minister and labour minister, Dan Kersch (LSAP) said.

Guarantees were also obtained regarding the maintenance of ArcelorMittal’s head office in Luxembourg, as well as the Dommeldange site.

As a reminder, the unions had called for a steel tripartite after ArcelorMittal’s announcement last September when the company said it would cut 570 jobs --15% of the total wage bill-- at its various administrative and industrial sites in Luxembourg to deal with the economic consequences of the health crisis.

This article was originally published in French on Paperjam.lu and translated and edited for Delano.