Alro’s trade union dismays 1300 workers may be laid-off

The representatives of the trade union of Romanian aluminium producer Alro remains in dismay and alert that around 1300 staff or one-third of its labour force might get laid-off, as the company will curtail production at its aluminium smelter for primary aluminium production by 60% in 2022.

The number of unemployed is anticipated to increase, as the organizations in the province that rely on Alro employ around 20,000. On 30^th December a demonstration was organised at the headquarters of Alro. The trade union seeks intervention from the Government and President to save the Romanian aluminium industry.

Alro has already notified that the enormous reduction in the capacity of primary aluminium production from five to two electrolysis units is the way to counter the spike in the electricity price combined with low domestic electricity production. However, in addition to being the nation’s largest electricity consumer, the Romanian integrated aluminium producer Alro uses fossil energy sources (natural gas) as well.

The trade union’s representatives of Alro who revealed the management’s resolution before the official notification sent by the company to its investors claimed that restarting operations at the three production facilities, which the company plans to shut down, desires investment of multi-million euros that this unlikely to happen soon.

However, the management of the company asserted that presently it is not accommodating dismissals of staff, but only expedients to drive efficient usage of labour and that might comprise phases of technical unemployment or undertaking revamps and repairs.