Jamaica’s Noranda Bauxite and University & Allied Workers Union (UAWU) announced a new labor agreement earlier this week that will keep the union’s workers working through the spring of 2023.
According to Noranda, this agreement marks the end of negotiations for the entirety of the labor contracts with the various unions representing portions of its labor force. Noranda struck an accord with Bustamente Industrial Trade Union (BITU) earlier in the year that lasts through the end of next year and settled another contract with Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) that runs to the end of 2022.
“Our workforce is the backbone of our operations here in Jamaica,” said Noranda Bauxite’s General Manager Delroy Dell to local media.
“The negotiations were tough but fair, and we are proud to work cooperatively with these Unions to strengthen our worker protections and provide fair wages to all our employees. I want to thank the Union representatives and our own executive team for collaborating on these vital agreements.”
Company Chairman and CEO David D’Addario said that the contract represents the firm’s commitment to the plant’s labor force.
“A strong relationship with our unions is necessary to the success of our Jamaican bauxite operations. When we acquired Noranda Bauxite and 50 years of mining rights in Jamaica, we committed to the Government that we would work to reach fair agreements and enhance the stability of our union workforce.”
D’Addario continued by noting that the agreements now in place with its labor unions make workers at the plant among the top tier of compensation on the island.