U -turn at ArcelorMittal: IG Metall wants steel summit: “goes for thousands of jobs”

IG Metall criticizes the ArcelorMittal steel company for its plans that works in Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt to switch to a more climate -friendly production. “This decision is strategically short -sighted, incorrectly and with regard to the employees as well as the overall social consequences to the highest degree,” said Jürgen Kerner, second chairman of the union.

The climate -neutral conversion of the steel industry is a project of the century. “It’s about the future of thousands of jobs in Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt.” The employees have agreed to the politicians in the billions in the billions and the price of electricity is in the right direction. “The only ones who lose and wobble the nerves are the managers of ArcelorMittal,” criticized Kerner. The federal government must immediately convene a crisis summit for the steel industry.

Breaks for reaching the climate goals

Arcelormittal does not want to continue to pursue the switch to “green” steel production in Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt. What is meant is the change of coal as an energy source to hydrogen, which will be obtained from renewable energies such as wind power or solar power in the future. This means that the group does not use 1.3 billion euros in government funding. Even with subsidization, the project was not economical, Arcelormittal had explained.

For the federal government, the decision is a setback in the conversion of the industry. The steel industry is one of the largest CO₂ emitters in Germany and plays an important role in achieving the climate goals.

IG-Metall-Vice Kerner called for fundamental support for the steel industry. “It is unacceptable that France creates facts through a politically subsidized industrial stream, while Germany is cumbersome to find solutions for European forms. Steel must also become a top priority with us.”