Portland Aluminium cuts back

PORTLAND Aluminium has announced that 24 voluntary redundancy packages have been offered and accepted by employees working in the operations area. Portland Aluminium Operations Manager John Osborne says that the redundancies are a result of the group’s need to cut costs, with a 15% production curtailment announced in April 2009 and need to reduce overall costs by 10-15%. The business claims it has worked consultatively with employees, unions, contractors and suppliers since the announcement. Osborne says the redundancies have been selected from expressions of interest received from members of the Australian Workers Union earlier in July. The voluntary redundancies will take effect from 31 July 2009 but other restructuring activities will continue until the cost reduction targets are achieved.