WINDALCO to make over 700 employees redundant

The West Indies Alumina Company, (WINDALCO) says it will be making the positions of 762 permanent employees redundant.

The decision comes nine months after the company suspended production at its Kirkvine and Ewarton Refineries as a result of the drastic reduction in demand for Aluminum.

At that time the permanent employees started working three days a week.

WINDALCO says there has been some improvement in the global economy but the alumina industry has only seen marginal movement.

It says with no immediate resumption of production in sight, the management felt it was in the best interest of the company to make the 762 positions redundant.

For months now the employees have been demanding that their positions be made redundant since working three days a week was not feasible.

The acting Managing Director of WINDALCO Andrew Currie says the redundancy exercise is in direct response to feedback from many employees.

He says the company’s management is currently redefining its needs and will be designing the new organisation structure.

The structure will be implemented on Thursday, April 1, 2010.

Mr Currie says a small complement of workers will be required to undertake activities aimed at preserving its assets and meeting legal and community obligations.