MONCLOVA, COAH.- The situation of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) has worsened even more in recent days, due to the delay in the payment of payroll to workers and because the company has not even been able to pay for electricity and its strategic areas have stopped working; Therefore, it is feared that the steel company will close soon, said Ismael Leija, general secretary of the National Democratic Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Steel and Allied Workers.
“Fifteen days ago I was saying I already hit rock bottom, right now I don’t see any salvation”said the union leader, who accepted that he could be experiencing the end of AHMSA, the steel company that has been operating for 80 years in Monclova, Coahuila.
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He declared in an interview that in the face of non-payment, such as last week’s salary, which was delayed four days and the non-payment of savings, the workers cannot wait any longer, they are desperate and upset because they do not have to carry food for their families, nor support for their children who are studying and on top of that their debts are growing.
“People do not know how to understand laws, contracts, they have the need and the needs are very palpable, the payroll is being deferred every week, two, three, four days, and it is no longer possible, it is no longer worth it,” Leija Escalante pointed out.
In addition to this, the lack of electricity due to the million-dollar debt of AHMSA with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), The workers and their families of the Hercules Mining Unit and La Perla Chihuahua have no electricity.
“What will happen to eight thousand union members, we already experienced the scenario of Micare, of the Carbonífera mines and we were all missing,” the unionist stressed.
PARALYZED COMPANY
He recognized that in AHMSA, departments such as the Coking Plant of Steel Plant 2 is already paralyzed and are areas that could not be completely shut down, so in this situation a source of investment will be required to reactivate them.
Regarding the alleged negotiations with foreign investors, Leija Escalante said that since nothing is reported to the union, nothing can be said about the possibility of a rescue of the company.
“I don’t know what is intended, where you want to go, and the truth is that that breath that was taken last week with the announcement that was made, the truth (with the passing of days) everything falls apart,” pointed out.
He asked the heads of AHMSA to clarify the outlook as soon as possible, to make the news known to the workersbecause: “it is not nice to be with the uncertainty of every day”.
MOBILIZATIONS ADVANCE
He clarified that the National Democratic Union is going to act, marches, demonstrations are being analyzed and a dialogue will even be sought with the President of the Republic Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to help find a solution.
“We are going to do what we have to do, whatever is necessary. I have always said, what can we block if everything is paralyzed in there, but there are ways for them to turn to see us, there are ways ”, sentenced the union leader.