Alcoa Declares Partial Curtailment of Operations at Quebec Smelter
The plant had shuttered two production lines in January this year, following rejection of the proposed contract for hourly workers by the union.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Alcoa Corporation announced further production cut at its Quebec aluminum smelter. The company press release noted that half of the remaining one operating potline at the Aluminerie de Bécancour Inc. (ABI) smelter will be curtailed with immediate effect. The partial curtailment will be completed by Friday, December 21st. The line is believed to have a nameplate capacity of around 138,000 metric tons per year. It must be noted that, out of the facility’s three potlines, two were curtailed earlier in January this year.
The move is considered as the outcome of the deepening conflict between Alcoa and the United Steelworkers Union. The recent retirements and departures of salaried employees too have forced the company to cut operations.
The mediation council created by the Government of Quebec has been engaged in negotiations between the company management and union leaders. The two sides were expecting to reach a deal by Friday- the deadline set by the government. However, the company has come up with the curtailment decision, two days before the deadline.
The plant had shuttered two production lines in January this year, following rejection of the proposed contract for hourly workers by the union. Those two lines had a combined production capacity of 275,000 metric tons per year.
Clément Masse, president of Steelworkers Local 9700 accused the company of lack of respect for negotiation process. The company has widened the gap, instead of working towards a resolution, he alleged.