Job security concerns heighten at Russian-owned bauxite company in Jamaica

Community members and business owners in Ewarton, St Catherine, where Russian company En+ Group International PJSC operates UC Rusal WINDALCO in Jamaica, have expressed concern about the lingering uncertainty caused by the potential negative impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the local plant.

There are increasing concerns about job security among the scores of men employed to the company who are the sole breadwinners of their respective families.

The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, among other countries, have imposed punishing economic sanctions on Russia for its military invasion of South West Ukraine on February 24.

The list of sanctions targets banks, oil refineries, military exports, among others.

It is believed that the penalties inflicted on Russia could have a significant impact on UC Rusal’s WINDALCO operations in Jamaica, resulting in layoffs and a slowdown of daily operations. Some have theorised that if the war continues, the plant will be forced to close as USA may refuse to accept the shipping of alumina from Jamaica through their ports to other countries and corporations.

Clemont Amos, a former worker who spent 30 years at UC Rusal as a processing operator, suggested that “a Russian-owned company enuh, anything possible,” in response to the question of possible job cuts.

He said that there were periods when the company would shutter the plant for three days at a time to maintain the machines. As a possible closure looms, he expressed fears that they might shut down for good instead of reopening.

“Me nuh sure if them a go back to full-scale [operation] cause them haffi a watch wah gwan,” he said.

Amos explained that his son, who works at the mining company, did not say if the management had made a decision on what their course of action would be.

Vincent Morrison, president of the Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), has encouraged employees of WINDALCO to “stay calm”.

According to Morrison, who had dialogue with company officials on Tuesday, UC Rusal has asserted that it would not be adversely affected by the numerous sanctions against Russia.

“Having spoken to the company and having got the assurances from the company... we would be in a position to make our plans, to decide what we are going to do going forward and we can’t do that until we are told by management what are their plans going forward, and their plans as we understand is that business remains the same,” said Morrison about the next course of action.

When contacted, Senior Information and Public Affairs Officer at UC Rusal Monique Grange said the company could not comment on issues surrounding its future operations.

Despite the fact that business has been poor since the COVID-19 outbreak, one taximan who operates the Ewarton to Linstead route explained that if UC Rusal went out of business, it would have a severe impact on his business.

Tiffany Jackson and Marsha Gray, both cashiers at the Triple Star Service Station’s Mini Mart, said the store receives significant support from the staff of WINDALCO.

Gray told The Gleaner that if WINDALCO closed its doors, the revenue earned by the service station and mini mart would plunge.