Alcoa (AA)

Alcoa (AA)

Reuters is reporting that Alcoa has asked the U.S. Commerce Department to exempt from tariffs its purchases of 40,000 metric tons of Canadian aluminium used to make beverage cans. Alcoa suggests that no U.S. aluminium producer can meet its specification needs and quality requirements for rolling slabs used at its Warrick, Indiana plant.

Around 1,500 workers at three alumina refineries and two bauxite mines in Western Australia operated by Alcoa are expected to refuse a new workplace agreement that they say does not offer sufficient job security on Sept 6th 2018. The "no" vote could prolong the four-week old strike that began back on Aug 8th.

The refineries account for around 9.3 million tonnes of capacity or some 8 percent of the world supply of alumina, which is used to make aluminum.

An Alcoa spokesperson said "We have not experienced any significant impact from the action to date and will continue to assess the situation as it develops."

The firm maintains that it has offered employees a generous agreement that provided income growth on top of already "very competitive pay and conditions."

Workers at the Western Australia facility agreed to end a strike after securing better job security provisions in a new wage agreement.