Striking WA Alcoa workers reject offer

Striking workers at Alcoa's WA operations have rejected a workplace agreement offer that provides "zero" job security and continue their strike, the AWU says.

Workers at Alcoa's Western Australian operations have voted overwhelmingly to reject a proposed enterprise bargaining agreement and continue their strike.

On August 9, around 1600 workers at the Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup refineries and Huntley and Willowdale bauxite mines walked off the job.

The Australian Workers' Union says 80 per cent voted against Alcoa's proposed agreement at a meeting on Friday because it offered "zero" job security.

"It is completely unreasonable to expect people to work knowing they could well be sacked at any moment," AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said.

He said the workers had not sought to improve a single condition they currently have.

"All these workers want is to maintain what they have and not slide backwards," Mr Walton said.

The Fair Work Commission will hear Alcoa's application to terminate the current agreement next week.

"Should the termination be approved, it would rip up the entire history of negotiated and agreed terms and conditions, replacing them with the vastly inferior award," Mr Walton said.

"Such an outcome would completely trash Alcoa's relationship with its workforce and the community."

Alcoa said it welcomed an alternative proposal from the AWU.

"We understand and are concerned by the impact the continued and unnecessary industrial action is having on our employees," the company said.

"We invite them back to work so they can restore their livelihoods while we work to bring this matter to a resolution."

Alcoa said the industrial action had reduced alumina production at the WA refineries by about 15,000 tonnes in August, which compares to annual production of about nine million tonnes.

"We remain very grateful to our employees who are working to maintain safe operations," the company said.


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world