Workers Union in Point Henry aluminium smelter optimistic about its future

A union representing 600 workers at the troubled Point Henry Alcoa aluminium smelter is optimistic the plant can be saved after meeting with US executives reviewing its future.

Australian Workers Union Victorian secretary Cesar Melhem and a delegate from the plant, near Geelong, met executives at the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh on Friday (AEST).

"I am somewhat optimistic but I am not counting my chickens until the final decision is made in the next four to six weeks," Mr Melhem said from Pittsburg.

Alcoa is reviewing the future of the smelter, which has been hit by the high Australian dollar and low metal prices.

The union official said they had received a good hearing from company heads.

"(Alcoa's) main focus now is how they can turn it around, how they can continue smelting," Mr Melhem said.

"It's not necessarily about looking how they can justify the closure, it's about how they could operate the smelter going forward and how they could put it back into a profitable position."

He said Alcoa workers were willing to look at productivity improvements and other cost-saving measures but a significant investment in the Point Henry smelter was also necessary to revive it.

He said reducing wages and conditions was not on the table but other cost-saving measures could be generated.

"Our members are wanting to look at productivity improvements and savings but that has to be matched by significant investment because without significant investment ... that will just be a bandaid solution," he said.

Electrical Trades Union secretary Dean Mighell, who was unaware of Friday's US meeting, said the union conceded that some job losses may be unavoidable.

"If there are jobs to be lost due to genuine redundancy, well then that's something we have to wear," he said on ABC Radio.