Annaba: Arcelor Mittal workers on strike

ALGIERS- The workers of Arcelor Mittal Annaba, Algerian subsidiary of the giant steel company in the world, go on a general unlimited strike

• The workers of Arcelor Mittal Annaba, Algerian subsidiary of the giant steel company in the world, go on a general unlimited strike Monday according to their spokesman Smain Kouadria.
  
      “The 7200 steel workers in the complex of “El Hadjar” (Annaba, 600 km east of Algiers) and peak sales of Arcelor Mittal in the country are on an unlimited general strike since Monday,” said Kouadria.
  
      Four of the eight members of the group of negotiators observed a hunger strike since Monday at 2 pm (1 pm GMT), said Kouadria.
  
      The workers of Arcelor Mittal claims including wage increases, the adjustment of compensation schemes, improvement of working conditions, he added.
  
      “We have a platform of demands of eleven points. The negotiations with management are ongoing and stumble on the adjustment of wages,” said the spokesman for the workers of Arcelor Mittal Annaba.
  
      The management of Arcelor Mittal Annaba pretended the global economic crisis and poor sales of steel products in Algeria, to reject the wage increases demanded by workers, said Kouadria.
  
      The complex of Al-Hadjar Annaba, formerly Algerian state-owned, had been bought at 70% in October 2001 by the Indian Ispat, a group Mittal company.
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. Oudina