AFP reported workers at steel giant ArcelorMittal's plant in Algeria went on strike Saturday.

Mr Smain Kouadria union official said that about 1,000 staff downed tools at the El Hadjar complex in Annaba, 600 kilometers east of the capital Algiers. About 1,000 employees out of some 6,000 at the ArcelorMittal complex began an indefinite strike on Saturday.

He said that "Today it was the workers responsible for dispatching the finished goods who stopped working On Sunday they will be joined by administrative staff."

The union official said that workers are calling for pay rise negotiations to resume.

Shortly before the strike began, director general of the Annaba plant Mr Vincent Le Gouic indicated he was ready to agree on an 18% rise in base salary from June 1st 2011 in a document sent to the union.

He said that we are waiting for new proposals. Workers have gone on strike four times since the beginning of last year.

The El Hadjar complex, which formerly belonged to the Algerian state, was privatized in 2001 when Ispat took a 70% stake.

(Sourced from AFP)