Rio Tinto Alcan and Canadian Auto Workers Have Ratified an Agreement for Early Renewal

Rio Tinto Alcan and the employees represented by the Canadian Auto Workers Union have ratified an agreement for the early renewal and extension of labour contracts in Saguenay, Quebec to 2018. The agreement also includes a clause for the potential extension of the contracts to 2022.

Mr Étienne Jacques chief operating officer of Rio Tinto Alcan Primary Metal North America said that "This agreement has been made possible by the willingness of both parties to find mutually beneficial solutions to their respective issues. It is a particularly important milestone for Arvida Works, our 80-year-old aluminium smelter which faces numerous challenges. This demonstrates our ability to work together for everyone's benefit. The agreement will ensure a smooth and progressive transition between the shutdown of Arvida smelter and the potential subsequent phases of the Arvida Aluminium Smelter, AP60 Technology Centre."

The new agreement replaces the labour contracts that were slated to end in 2014, and includes all facilities tied to the Jonquière Complex and covered by the CAW Local 1937 union certification, namely: Arvida Works; Vaudreuil Works; Laterrière Works; Arvida Research & Development Centre; Arvida Aluminium Smelter, AP60 Technology Centre; Building 8, Power Operations and the Roberval-Saguenay railway, Alma.