The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) is urging Alcoa’s CEO to halt the planned demolition of the Intalco aluminum smelter in Ferndale, Wash., the last such remaining facility west of the Mississippi River.
Nearly three years ago, 700 union members at IAM Local 2379 (District 160) were laid off at the Ferndale Alcoa Intalco Works aluminum smelter production plant as the plant entered curtailment. From the moment the facility was shuttered, the IAM has been working with all willing partners and stakeholders to reopen the smelter and restore these high-quality union jobs. The project, if not demolished, could restore aluminum manufacturing jobs in Washington state, reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses and increase energy efficiency if reopened.
The United States now produces only 1 percent of the world’s aluminum, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. China ranks first with approximately 57 percent of global aluminum production. Russia ranks third.
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