Steel Mills

Court rules against striking workers at ArcelorMittal Mexico
Written by Ethan Bernard
July 18, 2024
A labor judge in Mexico City has ruled that the strike of a local mining union is illegal at ArcelorMittal Mexico’s Lazaro Cardenas mill and Las Truchas mine in Michoacán state, Mexico.
ArcelorMittal Mexico said on July 12 that the judge denied the protection requested by the mining union “considering that work was suspended prior to the date of the official announcement of the strike.”
Based on the Fifth District Judge in Matters of Labor in Mexico City’s decision, the company “reiterated that the workers and their union are carrying out an illegal suspension of work without legal basis or reason.”
ArcelorMittal Mexico also said it “constitutes a legal reason for a cause of force majeure to occur,” and the ability to terminate employment. This is “being processed before the Collective Labor Courts in Mexico City,” according to the company’s statement.
Earlier this month, the union rejected a proposal from ArcelorMittal Mexico to end the strike.
Operations at the mill and Las Truchas mine have been suspended since the workers’ blockade began in May. July 12 marked the 50th day of the strike.
Requests for comment from the Sindicato Minero union and ArcelorMittal Mexico were not returned by time of publication.

Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Steel Mills

AHMSA opens doors to potential buyers as $1.3B asset auction nears
AHMSA is opening its doors to potential buyers to tour its steel plant and mining operations in northern Mexico in preparation for the next stage of its bankruptcy process: the auction of its assets.

USW seeks clarity on USS plans for Granite City Works
The United Steelworkers union has asked U.S. Steel to elaborate on its Granite City Works plans following reports that the steelmaker is ending processing at the facility.

Nucor maintains plate prices, opens October order book
Nucor aims to keep plate prices flat for a seventh straight month with the opening of its October order book.

ArcelorMittal Mexico to import from sister mills as it works to resume DRI production
ArcelorMittal has partially restarted operations at its direct reduction plant in Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan. An explosion on Aug. 18 rocked the massive steelworks on Mexico’s Pacific coast, impacting production of direct-reduced iron (DRI).

Fall maintenance outages are coming in hot
Labor Day has passed, the sun is starting to set a little earlier each day, and cooler weather has begun to find its way down to many of us across North America. And you know what that means for the steel industry… Fall maintenance outages!