The Arcceormittal file can have an unlikely deadline: on July 7. That day, the third stage of the Tour de France will begin between Valenciennes and Dunkerque. And the CGT Nord wishes to take the opportunity to press the steel giant direction, but also to political leaders.
Specifically, the general secretary of the Departmental Union of the Organization of the Union, Jean-Paul Deesshaut, threatens a strike during this day: “If here around July 7, we do not meet around the table to speak nationalization of the steel, there will be no yellow t-shirt in Dunkerque.”
And the union representative is already projected on the logistics organization of this operation that could be of a certain magnitude: “Unless the ministers of the interior and justice can put a CRS every 20 meters, there are 178 kilometers of route between Valenciennes and Dunkerk. If we move from 1,000 to 2,000 trucks, that makes a 100 -meter vertil.
Almost 300 threatened positions on the Dunkerk site
Several hundred people met Thursday morning in Dunkerque at the CGT Call, to protest against the elimination plan of around 600 positions announced by Arceormittal in their sites in the north and east of France, including a majority in this port city. Several political leaders, including the first secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure, the various attachments of the left François Ruffin and the National Secretary of Ecologists Marine Tondelier were present together with the protesters.
They denounced these employment cuts in a press release, while the steel giant is beneficiary and has been supported by public aid in recent years. In addition to the state intervention, elected officials have claimed the rebirth of the site decarbonation project, customs protection against the competition of Chinese steel and a state entrance to the capital. They claim “Zero dismissal.”
At the end of 2024, Arceormittal had suspended its massive investment project, up to 1.8 billion euros, including more than 800 million aid promised by the State, in the decarbonation of its high Dunkirk stoves, which advocate the non -competence of steel produced in Europe.
The steel manufacturer has also announced a savings plan in recent weeks to recover its competitiveness in Europe, in relation to 1,400 positions. The plan presented on April 23 establishes the abolition of about 600 jobs in northern France, touching support functions, relocated to India, but also production. Dunkerque is the most affected by the seven sites, with more than 290 worried positions, including 177 in the operation, according to the CGT.
Source: BFM TV
