BNamericas reported that the collapse of the roof in the plating area at Venezuelan state steelmaker Sidor has led to an operational shutdown that has been in effect for 5 days.

A company source told BNamericas that "The area, which is quite large, hasn't been repaired and now there is a risk of rolled production being halted."

Mr Omar Martinez president of the country's steel industry association ACES told BNamericas that the situation at the company is incomprehensible. He added that "Elections were held recently and the union that supports the government won, so the question arises whether the workers are masochists or whether they are ignorant, because the company is at a halt, it doesn't pay, it's bankrupt, it's in crisis. Despite this, when the time comes to vote they choose the union representatives that put the company in this situation."

Last week, Sidor workers went on strike to demand 33 months worth of back wages, which affected the local market because there was a shortage of rebar and flat products.

Mr Martinez said that "It doesn't make sense. The new leaders of the union that support the government are the ones who encouraged the strike."

It may be recalled that operations at Sidor's pellet plant have been halted since the end of October 2011 due to the lack of iron ore.