Peter Hain: There’s hope for Anglesey Aluminium jobs

CRUCIAL talks to try and rescue hundreds of jobs at an Anglesey aluminium smelter were continuing last night. The Anglesey Aluminum plant is due to close next month when a cheap power deal expires. Bosses have issued redundancy notices to 250 workers at the plant in Holyhead and stopped ordering raw materials. Another 140 staff have accepted voluntary redundancy terms. But last night Wales secretary Peter Hain said there was “still a fighting chance the plant could be kept open”. The government has offered Anglesey Aluminium a ?48m four-year rescue package to keep smelting operations active. Last week the company came back with a counter proposal. It is understood this would see one potline of the current two maintained until the end of 2010. Mr Hain said: “We are still discussing the situation and e-mails have been exchanged this weekend and we are working to see if progress can be made on resolving the outstanding issues.” He said progress has been made on many of the issues raised by both sides during discussions . “There are still two or three key issues which could make or break a deal,” he said. Mr Hain hopes the outcome of the discussions will be known later this week. No one from Anglesey Aluminium was available for comment.