Liberty Galați employees protest outside the Prefecture after five months without pay and the announcement of temporary layoffs

Approximately one hundred employees of the Liberty Galați Steelworks are protesting outside the Prefecture on Friday, dissatisfied that they have not received their salaries since May and concerned about losing their jobs. The people are asking local authorities for explanations after the company’s management announced that almost all remaining employees will be placed on technical unemployment starting November 1.

The protest is taking place peacefully, and the employees are waiting for answers, especially regarding the money they were told the Government was expected to allocate. The decision on technical unemployment was communicated on Thursday through an internal memo and also concerns employees of Liberty Tubular Products. The exact number of people affected has not been established.

The steelworks’ management cites severe difficulties, including problems related to energy supply and transporting employees. At present, approximately 1,500–2,000 people still work on the steelmaking platform, mainly in maintenance and security, compared with around 40,000 during the peak period. After entering technical unemployment, operations are expected to be handled by a reduced number of employees, most likely to oversee the steelworks. For the employees’ families, the lack of income for five months and the rising cost of energy and food are increasing financial pressure.