It is reported that after talks with union representatives for workers at the Hellenic Halyvourgia steelworks on July 16th 2012, Greece's labor minister was expected to have fresh contacts with the company's owners on July 17th 2012 to see whether closure of one of the country's few remaining industries could be avoided.

Mr Yiannis Vroutsis, the government's labor minister, on July 16th 2012 received a 24 hour extension in his attempt to break the impasse.

Workers at the plant, located in Aspropyrgos in western Attica, have been on strike since October over management attempts to impose a 40 percent wage cut.

On July 17th 2012, Skai reported that labor ministry officials were hopeful a compromise could be reached to keep the factory in operation.

Source - E Kathimerini

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