Suspended Mittal workers protest in Bosnia: report

SARAJEVO: Around 1,000 staff at a Bosnian steelworks owned by Arcelor-Mittal, the world's biggest steel producer, held a protest on Thursday after being laid off temporarily, local news agency FENA reported.

The demonstration took place in front of the company's headquarters in the central town of Zenica, a day after Arcelor-Mittal said it would suspend some 1,500 workers for at least one month because of the global financial crisis.

A labour union announced plans to keep up the protests for the next two days, with its leaders demanding a reduction in the number of layoffs and calling for better working conditions.

The workers are to remain idle for one month, during which Arcelor-Mittal would make a decision on the future of the staff, the company said.

Arcelor-Mittal also suspended 700 workers at an iron ore mine in the northwestern Bosnian town of Prijedor on Wednesday.

The global steel giant bought a majority stake in the Zenica plant in 2004, and the plant currently produces 220,000 tons of steel per year.