German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil on Saturday vowed to fight to save jobs in the steel industry, after a key company in the sector announced it had altered plans for two plants to convert to climate-neutral production.
“We are fighting for every industrial job in Germany,” Klingbeil, who also serves as finance minister, said at a conference of his Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the eastern city of Cottbus.
“Let’s find solutions now,” he urged local party representatives in the state of Brandenburg.
Klingbeil said he had asked Economy Minister Katherina Reiche to support his efforts.
The comments came after steel company ArcelorMittal on Thursday said it was abandoning its plans to convert flat steel plants in the northern city of Bremen and the eastern town of Eisenhüttenstadt to climate-neutral production.
Due to the market situation and the lack of economic viability of steel production with reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the investments cannot be continued, the company said.
This means the group will forego state subsidies intended to facilitate the transformation.
In Cottbus, a city close to Eisenhüttenstadt, Klingbeil called on Reiche to convene a summit to discuss the consequences of the company’s decision.
“Please invite the works councils, the company management and the two state premiers who are affected,” he said.
“I am also happy to support this as finance minister,” he added.
No state funds have been cancelled so far, the vice chancellor noted, suggesting there might be leeway for alternative solutions.
Klingbeil and Brandenburg Premier Dietmar Woidke were also due to hold talks with the ArcelorMittal works council chair for Eisenhüttenstadt, Dirk Voegeler, at the party conference.