KOSICE, August 20, (WEBNOVINY) – The aim of Labor Minister Jozef Mihal’s visit to the company U.S. Steel Kosice (USSK) this Friday was to get to know the plant that is one of the most important employers and exporters in Slovakia. Mihal says he did not go with any offer to the firm, but he wanted to find out the opinions of an important foreign investor about the steps that the government wants to adopt in the economic, social, and employment sphere, stated Mihal. The government has proposed changes to the Labor Code, the Law on Collective Bargaining, the Law on Minimum Wage, and other employment-related legislation, the minister told the press after a tour of the plant in company of USSK President George Babcoke. “I am interested in their opinion, in order to be able to make Slovakia more attractive and attract more investors particularly to the east,” stated Mihal who also wants to discuss the topic with other large foreign investors and chambers of commerce.
Changes to the Labor Code should be debated with trade unions and employers while the draft could be discussed in Parliament in the spring of next year, the minister continued.
The minister appraised that USSK is the only combine with a special program of employment of persons form socially weak groups. USSK employs nearly 14,000 people and additional 25,000 to 30,000 are connected with the firm in the form of subcontracts.
Over the ten years of operation in Slovakia, the steel producer has fulfilled all its commitments accepted upon the firm’s privatization, added USSK president George Babcoke. They have invested about EUR 800 million thus far. The company does not plan to reduce staff numbers; on the contrary, it will need sixty new employees. With regard to the global economic and financial crisis, Babcoke stated that the worst should be over. Babcoke says that he wants to speak with the minister on the prepared legislative changes and concerns over their possible fallout. Above all, legislative changes should lead to the improvement of the business and competition environments and should create new jobs, according to Babcoke.
U.S. Steel Kosice was established in 2000 by the privatization of the steel mill Vychodoslovenske Zeleziarne. It produces about five million tons of steel annually and exports its flat rolled products to eighty countries around the globe.
SITA
