UPDATE 1-Alcoa's W.Australia workers walk out over labor agreement – union

(Adds details, comments from union)

KALGOORLIE, Aug 8 (Reuters) – Alcoa workers in Western Australia have walked out indefinitely over an enterprise agreement dispute with the aluminum maker, the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) said on Wednesday.

The strike comes after Alcoa applied to Australia’s workplace regulator to terminate its current agreement, affecting about 1,600 workers at its three alumina refineries and two bauxite mines, the union said.

The union said it spent 20 months trying to negotiate an agreement with Alcoa.

“Our members are sensible, and only want what is fair and reasonable a secure and good job,” AWU WA State Secretary Mike Zoetbrood said.

“However, the members won’t accept the company using threats of termination as means of pressuring the workforce into accepting sub-par working conditions.”

“Most, if not, all of the 1,500-strong AWU membership at every Alcoa WA operations,” had walked off the job, he added in an email to Reuters. Alcoa did not return a call immediately requesting comment. (Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

Article Courtesy of CNBC