ST ANN, Jamaica — Noranda Bauxite says it has reached an agreement with the University & Allied Workers Union (UAWU) on a new labour contract that governs the terms and conditions of employment for UAWU members through April 30, 2023.

Noranda said the agreement with UAWU culminates the renegotiation of all of Noranda Bauxite’s union contracts, with the company having reached agreements earlier in 2019 with the Bustamente Industrial Trade Union (BITU) through December 31, 2021, and with the Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) through December 31, 2022.

“Our workforce is the backbone of our operations here in Jamaica,” Noranda Bauxite’s General Manager, Delroy Dell was quoted as saying.

“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,” he said.

Company Chairman and CEO David D’Addario added that, “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 said the three union agreements demonstrate that the company has fulfilled its promise while ensuring that their employees remain among the most well compensated in Jamaica.