© MECO
On Monday, Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot and Minister of Labour Georges Engel met with representatives of the Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) and the Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (LCGB) as well as the Liberty Steel personnel delegation in Dudelange to discuss the future of the site.
Following the meeting, the Economy Minister repeated that “a player from the industrial sector” is interested in purchasing the site, without revealing the identity of the potential buyer. In recent months, two names have emerged: NLMK, a Russian steel group, and Salzgitter, a German group.
According to Fayot and the trade unions, the management of Liberty Steel is acting in a “potentially abusive” manner, even compromising the economic future of the Dudelange site.
The British Gupta family’s parent company, “GFG Alliance,” is currently blocking any sale. According to a press release issued by the Ministries of Economy and Labour on Tuesday morning, Fayot “has called the management of Liberty Steel’s Luxembourgish subsidiary to take a position on this matter.”
Liberty Steel’s operations in Belgium and Luxembourg are currently suspended, at least until the end of the year.
Employees at the Dudelange site will continue to be paid, if necessary, through the Employment Fund, Minister of Labour Georges Engel said on Tuesday.