Mexican state government confirms end of protest in ArcelorMittal plant

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Workers at a Mexican plant of steelmaker ArcelorMittal ended a 55-day stoppage on Friday, a government official from the state of Michoacan told Reuters late on Friday.

Earlier on Friday, ArcelorMittal had said a group of workers was continuing an "illegal blockade" at the facilities of its Mexican unit, a day after the company announced a new settlement with its workers and the end of the stoppage.

The government official confirmed the stoppage had ended after the mining union leading the labor action and negotiations with ArcelorMittal published a statement asking the workers who were still protesting to "respect the agreements reached and voted by the majority".

Reuters was unable to immediately contact either the mining union or its legal representatives.

The steel company alleged that Friday's protests included acts of violence and put the safety of the workers at risk.

ArcelorMittal had announced the end of the blockade on Thursday at its Lazaro Cardenas facilities in the southern state of Michoacan, after workers approved a new settlement including a pay hike. But dissident workers continued the action.

Workers affiliated with the mining union had been protesting since late May against the annual profit distribution to employees, bringing all activities to a halt.

ArcelorMittal, one of the world's largest steel and mining companies, last year generated over $68 billion in sales.

It reported on Thursday an estimated loss of 1 million metric tons in steel output due to the strike, according to a statement.

(Reporting by Raul Cortes and Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Stephanie Hamel and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Leslie Adler and Tom Hogue)