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”We will not be robbed of our future,” say Spanish Alcoa workers

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3 June, 2020Spanish unions CC.OO de Industria and UGT FICA are fighting against Alcoa’s decision to close aluminium production at its operation in San Cibrao, Lugo, Galicia, laying off 534 workers.

Alcoa received public aid of up to 38 million euros in the last two years, provided that jobs were guaranteed. Now, Alcoa uses excuses of high energy costs and low aluminum prices, announcing that “no decision will be taken until this consultation period has ended”.

Over the years, Alcoa, one of the world’s largest producers of aluminium, has detached itself from several other aluminium plants in Spain’s Galicia region.

Closing the San Cibrai aluminium plant will have a profound effect on the Spanish economy, as the country no longer will have the capacity to produce aluminium, essential for many other sectors.

IndustriALL’s Spanish affiliates CC.OO de Industria and UGT FICA are calling for measures to be adopted that guarantee maintaining the manufacturing of primary aluminum, as well as the employment in the plant.

Both Spanish unions have painful experiences with similar situations at Alcoa’s other plants in Avilés and La Coruña. The unions are urging the Spanish government to take the necessary measures to avoid the detrimental move by Alcoa.

The San Cibrai plant contributes to 25 per cent of the GDP in the region, and the loss of 534 jobs will heavily impact the economy.

“Together with industriAll Europe, IndustriALL Global Union is calling on Alcoa to reconsider the collective dismissal and return to the negotiating table with the unions and the government in order to jointly achieve a fair and viable solution for both the company and the workers at the San Cibrao plant,”

says IndustriALL general secretary Valter Sanches.

Both organizations express solidarity with the Spanish unions and their members at Alcoa during their legitimate and rightful struggle for jobs.

IndustriALL has a global union network among affiliates representing Alcoa employees.