Noranda Bauxite's job-cut plans take union by surprise

Noranda Bauxite said yesterday that it had been in consultations with unions representing the workers as it prepares to cut jobs this month. The company said this move was in response to the major decline in the global price of aluminium and demand facing the industry.

Noranda Bauxite said that following the temporary suspension of its mining activities on December 21 last year, the company resumed full operations yesterday, with the return of approximately 100 employees who had been laid off during a two-week break in mining over the holiday season. During the lay-off, the company continued to carry out its drying and shipping operations from the plant in Discovery Bay.

However, Noranda Bauxite's General Manager Antoine Liddell said that preserving jobs is a major consideration now; but then further adjustments to the structure of the company have to be made depending on the ongoing state of the industry before any final decision is taken regarding retrenchment.

Howard Litchmore, an officer of the Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) reacted to this update saying his union has not been consulted on the proposed reduction in job positions at Noranda Bauxite.