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About 400 employees of aluminium smelter SC ALRO SA will be put on furlough this month due to the closure of three of the plant's five potlines, the vice-president of ALRO's Free Trade Union Dragos Popa told on Friday during the rally organized in front of the government's headquarters by several unions in the aluminum industry.
"The reason for today's protest is energy regulation. An emergency ordinance has indeed been issued for household consumers, but price capping does not apply to industry, and ALRO is not covered by this measure, that's what we are protesting for. It's a shame that no one from the government has received us, we get no compensation at all. The emergency ordinance caps the price for household consumers, but there is absolutely no regulation to alleviate the situation of the industry. Two potlines have already been closed, the third is about to follow, so that's three out of five potlines that are being shut down. For the time being, the next step is furlough, lay-offs are not yet being considered, but we won't be able to keep them on furlough in the long run, because the costs are borne by the company. This is about 400 ALRO workers who will be furloughed this month. If the potlines are shut down, we'll have to assign these 400 people to other sections. In order to keep them, we have the furlough option so as to not let them go right from the beginning," said Dragos Popa.
The union leader explained that energy prices have sent both ALRO Slatina and ALUM Tulcea in total collapse.
"We don't know what will happen next. Energy is very expensive, plus there is no energy left in the market at the moment. Both ALRO Slatina and ALUM Tulcea, which is also part of Vimetco Group, are in total collapse, we want to somehow come to terms, to keep functioning, to get energy for a reasonable price in order to survive. You can figure out the amount of taxes ALRO pays to the state budget as the largest consumer, with 6 percent of the national energy consumption," Dragos Popa said.
The union leader pointed out that ALRO unions demand that the energy price be capped at the level of 2020, Agerpres informs.
