Liberty Steel Crisis Worsens! Unions Oppose Job Cuts!

LIBERTY Steel crisis worsens, unions oppose massive job cuts and de-industrialisation, says IndustriALL.

In over just few days, news of massive job cuts, of bankruptcy and of financial difficulties hit hard several thousands of Liberty Steel workers and their families in Ostrava (Czech Republic)), Cz´stochowa (Poland) and Dunaújváros (Hungary).
Trade unions urge public authorities for emergency actions to save Europe’s strategic steel assets from collapse.
The situation at Liberty Steel’s continental steel facilities has been in constant deterioration since Autumn 2023, until it took a dramatic turn last week with a series of severe restructuring announcements which sent shocking waves amongst European steelworkers.
On July 23, Liberty Steel management announced its intention to proceed with massive layoffs at its Ostrava plant (Czechia) as it decided to close Ostrava’s coke ovens and to idle the iron and steelmaking facilities.
Up to 2,600 workers face the risk of redundancy!
The company being insolvent, uncertainty prevails as to the payment of notice periods and severance packages for dismissed workers.
On 29 July, the Labour Office of the Czech Republic announced launching a support programme including career guidance, retraining and wage subsidies to help Liberty Ostrava workers threatened by job loss.
IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union express their unwavering solidarity with Liberty Ostrava workers and their trade union OS KOVO in their courageous fight for preserving their jobs and steel plant.
Full support is brought to OS KOVO’s call on Liberty Steel’s creditors, on the Czech government and on the European Commission to take their responsibilities without further delay.
Regrettably, other Liberty Steel operations are affected by extremely worrying developments.
On July 25, the District court of Cz´stochowa declared the Polish Liberty steel plant bankrupt and appointed a ‘receiver’ to take over the plant management.
The Company appealed to the Court decision. In Hungary, to date, the one-off July bonus, which was collectively agreed in June with the local unions at the Liberty Dunaújváros has not been paid.
While the June collective agreement also foresaw a pay rise, 1,000 plus workers saw they wage cut by 30% due to imposed change in shift schedules.
IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union strictly condemn irresponsible decisions which could irreversibly damage Europe’s strategic steel production capacities and leave thousands of workers and their families behind.
Steel trade unions refuse that workers pay the brunt of mismanagement and lack of effective support by public authorities!
Public action is urgently needed more than ever to safeguard Europe’s strategic steel assets from collapse. Policymakers must commit to a genuine Steel Action plan.
IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union’s sent a solidarity letter, appealing to Roman Durco, OS KOVO President.
They wrote: ‘On 23 July, Liberty Steel’s announcement of intended mass layoffs, of the closure of the coke ovens and the idling of the iron and steelmaking facilities at Liberty Ostrava sent massive shocking waves amongst steel workers and their unions across the world. Such a decision is putting the livelihood of up to 2,600 workers, their families and the entire local community in jeopardy. It also threatens the stability and future of the steel industry in the Czech Republic and more broadly, in Europe.
‘The shocking news came after Liberty Steel stopped paying Liberty Ostrava workers’ wages in May already due to insolvency proceedings. The protection scheme provided by the Czech Labour office to take over wage payment will however cease on 31 July unless decision is made to extent the period. If no extension happens, those workers will lose their wages. Moreover, the payment of their notice period and redundancy package is even called into question.
‘IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union strictly condemn irresponsible decisions which could irreversibly damage Europe’s strategic steel production capacities and leave thousands of workers and their families behind! We refuse that workers pay the brunt of mismanagement and lack of effective support by public authorities! More than ever, we demand public action to safeguard Europe’s strategic steel assets from collapse and urge policymakers to commit to a genuine Steel Action plan.’

• Yura workers in Leskovac, Serbia, continue their courageous struggle against deteriorating working conditions and anti-union tactics.

Supported by IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union the workers are demanding fair wages and respectful bargaining. Labour start has initiated a campaign.
Workers at Yura Leskovac, Serbia, a global supplier of electrical and electronic distribution components to the automotive industry, are continuing their courageous fight against deteriorating working conditions and union busting tactics.
Yura’s customers include European car manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, Jaguar, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes.
A series of warning strikes in June and the workers’ ongoing protests have attracted significant international attention and support, highlighting the workers’ courageous stand against oppressive management practices.
The Autonomous Metalworkers Union of Serbia (SSMS), an affiliate of IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union, launched a series of strikes in June 2024 to protest against poor working conditions and punitive wage policies.
Yura’s workers have faced deteriorating sanitary facilities and shrinking portions in the company canteen. They suffer from the company’s low wages and a draconian punitive attendance bonus policy that penalises sick leave.
Despite these poor conditions, Yura’s management has consistently refused to engage in meaningful bargaining with the union, choosing instead to intimidate and threaten workers to leave the union.
The union has filed a formal complaint with the German Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), which is responsible for the compliance of German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act.
Supported by industriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union, the workers are demanding fair wages and respectful negotiations.
SSMS is calling for international solidarity to put pressure on Yura to stop its anti-union activities and responsibly conclude the negotiations, which are being mediated by the Serbian Ministry of Labour.
Global support underlines the importance of respecting workers’ rights and the basic principles of fair labour practices.
Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe, stressed the need for solidarity.
She said: ‘Yura management must respect workers’ rights. We urge Yura management to engage in substantive social dialogue with our affiliate, the Autonomous Union of Metalworkers of Serbia.
‘A global company that prides itself on the quality of its products and its good relationship with its customers in the European automotive industry must operate in accordance with international labour regulations and standards, including European Due Diligence Guidelines, especially as Serbia is an accession country to Europe.’
IndustriAll Europe has appealed to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vuãiç, to intervene and ensure that workers’ rights are upheld in accordance with the EU standards that Serbia is striving to meet.
The European and international labour community continues to rally behind the Yura workers, highlighting the critical need for solidarity in the face of corporate exploitation.
ends
LIBERTY Steel crisis worsens, unions oppose massive job cuts and de-industrialisation, says IndustriALL.
In over just few days, news of massive job cuts, of bankruptcy and of financial difficulties hit hard several thousands of Liberty Steel workers and their families in Ostrava (Czech Republic)), Cz´stochowa (Poland) and Dunaújváros (Hungary).
Trade unions urge public authorities for emergency actions to save Europe’s strategic steel assets from collapse.
The situation at Liberty Steel’s continental steel facilities has been in constant deterioration since Autumn 2023, until it took a dramatic turn last week with a series of severe restructuring announcements which sent shocking waves amongst European steelworkers.
On July 23, Liberty Steel management announced its intention to proceed with massive layoffs at its Ostrava plant (Czechia) as it decided to close Ostrava’s coke ovens and to idle the iron and steelmaking facilities.
Up to 2,600 workers face the risk of redundancy!
The company being insolvent, uncertainty prevails as to the payment of notice periods and severance packages for dismissed workers.
On 29 July, the Labour Office of the Czech Republic announced launching a support programme including career guidance, retraining and wage subsidies to help Liberty Ostrava workers threatened by job loss.
IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union express their unwavering solidarity with Liberty Ostrava workers and their trade union OS KOVO in their courageous fight for preserving their jobs and steel plant.
Full support is brought to OS KOVO’s call on Liberty Steel’s creditors, on the Czech government and on the European Commission to take their responsibilities without further delay.
Regrettably, other Liberty Steel operations are affected by extremely worrying developments.
On July 25, the District court of Cz´stochowa declared the Polish Liberty steel plant bankrupt and appointed a ‘receiver’ to take over the plant management.
The Company appealed to the Court decision. In Hungary, to date, the one-off July bonus, which was collectively agreed in June with the local unions at the Liberty Dunaújváros has not been paid.
While the June collective agreement also foresaw a pay rise, 1,000 plus workers saw they wage cut by 30% due to imposed change in shift schedules.
IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union strictly condemn irresponsible decisions which could irreversibly damage Europe’s strategic steel production capacities and leave thousands of workers and their families behind.
Steel trade unions refuse that workers pay the brunt of mismanagement and lack of effective support by public authorities!
Public action is urgently needed more than ever to safeguard Europe’s strategic steel assets from collapse. Policymakers must commit to a genuine Steel Action plan.
IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union’s sent a solidarity letter, appealing to Roman Durco, OS KOVO President.
They wrote: ‘On 23 July, Liberty Steel’s announcement of intended mass layoffs, of the closure of the coke ovens and the idling of the iron and steelmaking facilities at Liberty Ostrava sent massive shocking waves amongst steel workers and their unions across the world. Such a decision is putting the livelihood of up to 2,600 workers, their families and the entire local community in jeopardy. It also threatens the stability and future of the steel industry in the Czech Republic and more broadly, in Europe.
‘The shocking news came after Liberty Steel stopped paying Liberty Ostrava workers’ wages in May already due to insolvency proceedings. The protection scheme provided by the Czech Labour office to take over wage payment will however cease on 31 July unless decision is made to extent the period. If no extension happens, those workers will lose their wages. Moreover, the payment of their notice period and redundancy package is even called into question.
‘IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union strictly condemn irresponsible decisions which could irreversibly damage Europe’s strategic steel production capacities and leave thousands of workers and their families behind! We refuse that workers pay the brunt of mismanagement and lack of effective support by public authorities! More than ever, we demand public action to safeguard Europe’s strategic steel assets from collapse and urge policymakers to commit to a genuine Steel Action plan.’

• Yura workers in Leskovac, Serbia, continue their courageous struggle against deteriorating working conditions and anti-union tactics.

Supported by IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union the workers are demanding fair wages and respectful bargaining. Labour start has initiated a campaign.
Workers at Yura Leskovac, Serbia, a global supplier of electrical and electronic distribution components to the automotive industry, are continuing their courageous fight against deteriorating working conditions and union busting tactics.
Yura’s customers include European car manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, Jaguar, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes.
A series of warning strikes in June and the workers’ ongoing protests have attracted significant international attention and support, highlighting the workers’ courageous stand against oppressive management practices.
The Autonomous Metalworkers Union of Serbia (SSMS), an affiliate of IndustriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union, launched a series of strikes in June 2024 to protest against poor working conditions and punitive wage policies.
Yura’s workers have faced deteriorating sanitary facilities and shrinking portions in the company canteen. They suffer from the company’s low wages and a draconian punitive attendance bonus policy that penalises sick leave.
Despite these poor conditions, Yura’s management has consistently refused to engage in meaningful bargaining with the union, choosing instead to intimidate and threaten workers to leave the union.
The union has filed a formal complaint with the German Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), which is responsible for the compliance of German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act.
Supported by industriAll Europe and IndustriALL Global Union, the workers are demanding fair wages and respectful negotiations.
SSMS is calling for international solidarity to put pressure on Yura to stop its anti-union activities and responsibly conclude the negotiations, which are being mediated by the Serbian Ministry of Labour.
Global support underlines the importance of respecting workers’ rights and the basic principles of fair labour practices.
Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe, stressed the need for solidarity.
She said: ‘Yura management must respect workers’ rights. We urge Yura management to engage in substantive social dialogue with our affiliate, the Autonomous Union of Metalworkers of Serbia.
‘A global company that prides itself on the quality of its products and its good relationship with its customers in the European automotive industry must operate in accordance with international labour regulations and standards, including European Due Diligence Guidelines, especially as Serbia is an accession country to Europe.’
IndustriAll Europe has appealed to the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vuãiç, to intervene and ensure that workers’ rights are upheld in accordance with the EU standards that Serbia is striving to meet.
The European and international labour community continues to rally behind the Yura workers, highlighting the critical need for solidarity in the face of corporate exploitation.