AP reported that ArcelorMittal workers in France and Belgium said that the company has told them it would stop steel output at some plants this winter as demand drops.

Trade union representatives in France said management at the Fos-sur-Mer plant had told workers that it would reduce output and asked workers to take vacations of up to 16 days from November 1st and December 31st 2008. Mr Alain Nougue a delegate from the CGT told AP that “One furnace would cease work until the end of January.”

Mr Jean-Marc Verin of the CFDT union told the AP that another steel plant at Florange in eastern France would also stop output for the month of December.

In Belgium, local press said workers had been told that ArcelorMittal plants at Genk and Chatelet would cease production for four weeks at the end of the year while facilities at Seraing and Ghent would decrease output levels.

The report added that ArcelorMittal declined to confirm it would temporarily halt output but said it was taking prudent and responsible steps to adapt supply to demand in the light of present market conditions. It said it will provide details when it reports third-quarter earnings on November 5th 2008