Unionized workers at Rio Tinto Alcan's aluminum smelter in Kitimat and power plant in Kemano in northwest B.C. have reached a tentative labour agreement.
The company is working on a $3.3 billion rebuild of its Kitimat smelter, which was built nearly 60 years ago.
"This agreement will enable us to complete an efficient transition from the actual smelter to the new one and ensure our long-term competitiveness," said Etienne Jacques, CEO for Rio Tinto Alcan Primary Metal, North America. "This is an important achievement as we gear up for the transformational Kitimat modernization project."
The smelter modernization plan would increase output of aluminum to 420,000 tonnes per year, a 48% increase of its current capacity.
