Aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. to reduce staff working hours in Quebec by 15 per cent

MONTREAL - Aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. is reducing working hours for its Quebec employees by 15 per cent. Alcoa spokesman Pierre Despres says the reductions affect 3,600 union and non-union employees in the province. The company says the global economic crisis has had a significant impact on demand, which has driven down commodity prices. Alcoa says the reductions will not affect the production capacity of its factories. Despres says this move is in addition to the company's January announcement that it would cut 13,500 jobs, or 13 per cent of its global workforce. Alcoa is the world's third-largest aluminum maker.