BRUSSELS, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of steelworkers protested in Brussels on Wednesday over job security concerns.
"In Belgium, we lost 12,000 jobs in 2024 -- that's huge. Europe's push for decarbonization is important, but we need to keep jobs here. That's clearly not happening," said Philippe Lecoq, an employee of a French multinational based in Belgium.
Around 3,000 workers from across Europe gathered in Brussels' European district to demand action on the sector's crisis, local police said.
"Europe must take action and not let the steel industry collapse. The entire European workforce is at risk, and we're unsure if we'll survive the year," said Gaetan Lecocq of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) in Dunkirk.
Protesters condemned high production costs in Europe, which have forced some companies to shut down. They urged governments to end favorable treatment for certain corporations, saying it undermines job quality and working conditions.
Unions called on the European Union to invest in the sector and develop a reindustrialization plan to secure quality jobs while supporting the energy transition. They also pressed for a social support program and increased funding for research and development, tied to job preservation and creation. ■
