Following a meeting of the tripartite, the Luxembourg government, the management of ArcelorMittal, and the representatives of the trade unions were able to reach an agreement. There will be no mandatory redundancies at ArcelorMittal.

The Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) announced that the final agreement, which would ratify a job guarantee for ArcelorMittal employees as well as the maintenance of the steel sites and structures in Luxembourg for a period of five years (2021-2025), was to be drawn up at the beginning of next year.

The trade union pointed out that this tripartite agreement was the direct consequence of the decision of ArcelorMittal's management to proceed with a savings project aimed at improving the profitability of the company, behind which was however hidden a restructuring plan resulting in a 15 percent reduction in the workforce.

This would have corresponded, the OGBL explained, to the elimination of 536 full-time jobs (out of 3514) at the various sites in the country, including Differdange, Dommeldange, Esch-Belval, Rodange, the Administration (Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette), and Bissen.

In addition to the planned natural departures (retirements, planned early retirements, and other departures), the parties have agreed to make use of voluntary early retirements. It is estimated that around 240 employees will be able to benefit from early retirement, thus mitigating the effects of the restructuring plan. Currently in scope are all employees born in or before 1964.  Subsequent years may also be considered, under the condition that the three parties agree on this and subject to validation by the competent authorities.

At the same time, all employees who have already lost their jobs will be integrated into the new reclassification unit (CDR). Although it had "proved its worth in the past", the OGBL has pleaded for the establishment of a "CDR 2.0" with the aim of accompanying employees in order to reassign them to a permanent position as quickly as possible.

Based on information from ArcelorMittal, the trade union estimates that nearly 280 employees could potentially join it.

The parties have agreed to use all the instruments available to them: temporary assignments, temporary employment, training, and others, in order to avoid a return to short-time work. The OGBL also pointed out that employees in the CDR would naturally be given priority when replacements are needed following departures.