Just over 1,000 members of Local 9700 who work at the ABI smelter in Bécancour, Quebec, have been locked out by their employer, since January 11, 2018.
Management at the ABI smelter, co-owned by Alcoa (74.9%) and Rio Tinto (25.1%), locked out employees without warning, rejecting the union's offer to continue negotiations on a new collective agreement.
There were two outstanding issues: the funding of a new pension plan and workers’ seniority rights in personnel transfers.
Since the lockout began, however, the company has made additional demands. ABI wants to break the union and force workers to come crawling back on their hands and knees.
