Alcan contract extended

Company and union representatives at the Alcan plant in Ravenswood have agreed to another contract extension after recently meeting to determine their next move after the latest contract offer was rejected by the membership last week.

Both sides have agreed to an extention of the current contract that expires Wednesday, June 30 at 11:59 p.m.

''Specifically, the two parties met to discuss why the union membership failed to ratify the new agreement and clarify the company's proposal,'' a company spokesman said in a prepared release. ''The current proposal provides a raise in the hourly wage each year of the two-year agreement.

''In addition, it protects one of the best health insurance plans in the manufacturing sector and it increases employee pension benefits in each of the next two years. Another meeting between the parties is planned near the end of the month.''

The issue of work reorganization has been widely discussed and often misinterpreted, the spokesman said.

''It is a process,'' he said. ''What the proposed collective bargaining agreement calls for is a joint union/management committee to be established to identify and recommend for implementation ways to work more efficiently and create opportunities to fully utilize and further develop employees' skills and competences.

''Its main purpose is to jointly identify opportunities in the plant for operational improvements.''

Union representatives have said they felt the concept could allow for additional layoffs and contracting out of certain jobs.

The company spokesman said it is not about reducing the number of employees or trade and craft positions; it is solely about improving the manufacturing process.

''The company stands by its proposal to the union that no one will be laid off as a result of work reorganization,'' he said. ''（It is important） in order to compete in a global environment, Alcan-Ravenswood must become more efficient."

"Therefore, the company and the union must work together to identify ways that fully utilize employees' skills and fully realize the benefits of the planned investments. Alcan has constantly stated that it will not make any significant new investments in the plant until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached, which includes work reorganization. The best way to put it is better operational process equal capital investment equal customer satisfactionequal job security. All parts of the formula are necessary.''