AWU to resist Portland Alcoa redundancies

About 400 members of the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) employed by Alcoa's Portland Aluminium in regional Victoria voted unanimously on Friday (April 30) to resist attempts for 40 redundancies at the plant before the end of the year.

Portland should be hiring workers - not getting rid of jobs The latest planned job losses, which are yet to be detailed by the company, follow 24 redundancies last year and an overall loss of 100 operational roles at the facility during the past 12 months when cutbacks to contractors are factored into the equation.  The union is pursuing talks with the company, with which it has in the past had a constructive working relationship. It is also investigating the proposition that Portland Aluminium should be hiring more people, not getting rid of jobs, if it is to maintain the health and safety of its workforce.  North American head office ordered job cuts without consultationAWU Victorian secretary Cesar Melhem said the latest foreshadowed cuts were the result of Alcoa’s North American head office ordering a 5% reduction in costs at smelters internationally.

“These job losses have nothing to do with anything happening at Portland Aluminium, which is a highly-profitable operation making premium aluminium products which have guaranteed buyers before they are even completed,” Melhem said.  Independent analysis shows increased investment would turn into higher future profitsAn independent economic analysis of the plant’s operation, commissioned by the union, put it on track for a profit this year in excess of $200 million. The same analysis indicated increased investment at Portland would see an even higher return into the future. “We are frustrated that the company refuses to discuss financial matters with us. It is obvious from what we have been able to establish that this is a site making a lot of money for its masters, and which could make even more if it chose to prove its commitment to Portland and the people of Victoria ,” Melhem said.

When the order came out for the blanket 5% cutback internationally, Portland Aluminium initially said it would cut most 12 hour shifts to 10 hours and 50 minutes. This would have meant 80% of operational workers would have their pay packets slashed by around $200 a week or $11,300 a year.

This is an attack on Portland a town loyal to the plantOngoing negotiations with the AWU led to a backdown on reduced shifts for now, followed by notice late last week that redundancies were in the company’s sights instead.

“This is not just an attack on employees now. It is an attack on the town of Portland which has embraced the company and provided a loyal and dedicated team of workers.  It is a threat to the viability of Portland into the future when young people who have grown up in the shadow of the smelter will find there are no jobs for them,” Melhem said.

Union demands Portland Aluminium act ethically and accept its corporate responsibilityA recently renewed cheap energy deal for Portland Aluminium was indicative of the level of support the multi-billion dollar corporate giant had enjoyed from the people of Victoria for its role in providing regional employment.

“It is obvious that Alcoa cannot reasonably expect to take the best of Portland and Victoria without a level of corporate responsibility. It is up to Portland Aluminium to not only treat its workers fairly, but to act in an ethical and moral way in the management of its highly-profitable operation,” Melhem said.