11 February, 2008The victims were seriously injured during an explosion at the Acindar steelworks. Metalworkers of the UOM went on strike for 24 hours to mourn the dead and demand greater safety and improved conditions for dangerous work.
ARGENTINA: Metalworkers at Acindar, which belongs to the Arcelor-Mittal Group (one of the world's biggest steelmakers) went on strike to mourn the deaths of two workers who died following an explosion at the steelworks.
On Tuesday February 5, Nicolás Correa, 22 and Alfredo Dianda, 23, employed by the contractor SERSCAY SC, and six other workers were repairing one of Acindar's furnaces when there was an explosion. They were taken to hospital in a serious condition. Both workers died on Saturday February 9.
In response to this terrible accident, members and leaders of the metalworkers union (Unión Obrera Metalúrgica - UOM) called a strike. "We began a strike of mourning, which tried to express the state of mind of our colleagues, who were very upset by the nature of the accident and also because of the youth of the victims, two men aged 22 and 23," Victorio Paulón, General Secretary of the Villa Constitución branch of the UOM told the press.
Although the causes of the accident are being investigated, Paulón said that it "is related to the shortening of the time for cooling down the furnaces" that were being repaired.
The Regional IMF Office regretted that, once again, companies do not take adequate safety measures and wrote to Acindar, demanding improvements in working conditions. It also sent its condolences to the UOM for the loss of their two colleagues.
Acindar makes long steel products and is located in the town off Villa Constitución, in the province of Santa Fe, 50 km to the south of Rosario.
This latest incident is part of a concerning trend in the industry and follows a number of other recent fatalities at ArcelorMittal plants.