PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Aluminium major Alcoa said that industrial action at its Western Australian operations were expected to last until August 17, but would have no effect on production.
The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) on Wednesday said that Alcoa workers had walked out over an enterprise agreement dispute with the aluminium maker, after Alcoa applied to Australia’s workplace regulator to terminate its current agreement, affecting some 1 500 workers at its three alumina refineries and two bauxite mines in Western Australia.
Alcoa said in a statement that the company wanted to establish a modern enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) that provided employees with competitive pay and conditions, allowing the company to manage its operations efficiently and competitively.
Alcoa would ask its employees to vote on the new EBA later this month.
“The best way Alcoa can continue to be an important contributor to our economy and to provide well-paid local jobs now and into the future is to remain internationally competitive throughout the business cycle,” the company said on Thursday.
“We are seeking to achieve this through a new modern EBA.”
The company said that it has recently establish new EBAs with its mechanical tradespeople and its electrical tradespeople in Western Australia, noting that more than 3 750 staff are directly employed by the company in Western Australia.