AFP reported that around 1,000 staff at a Bosnian steelworks owned by ArcelorMittal held a protest on April 2nd 2009 after being laid off temporarily.

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

A labor 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 ArcelorMittal would make a decision on the future of the staff. ArcelorMittal also suspended 700 workers at an iron ore mine in the northwestern Bosnian town of Prijedor.

ArcelorMittal bought a majority stake in the Zenica plant in 2004, and the plant currently produces 220,000 tonnes of steel per year.

(Sourced from www.afp.com)