The 3rd negotiation meeting with all the trade unions was held today. At the meeting, the trade unions (CGT, FO, CFDT, CFE-CGC) and senior management announced their intention to sign a methods agreement governing the information-consultation procedure for the project to transform the Dunkirk site organisation. The agreement will be submitted to the Works Committee for its opinion at the 6 May 2014 meeting which will mark the start of the information and consultation procedure for the industrial part. The procedure timetable is detailed on page 2.
This important agreement shows the signatories’ will to make dialogue an essential element in the management of this project. Senior management points out that, thanks to this agreement, significant improvements have been made on the procedure time frame and the means of informing employees, and that the site’s industrial relations environment has favoured this dialogue.
Senior management continues to provide regular and transparent communication as the project moves forward. Under the agreement, senior management undertakes to facilitate the participation of employees wanting to attend trade union information meetings during their working hours (1 hour).
At the next negotiation meetings, senior management and the trade unions will discuss the social measures to accompany the project. The success of the negotiations depends on maintaining the site’s operational stability, especially as senior management has made a commitment to the trade unions and the site’s employees not to lay off any staff in the framework of this project.
We have confidence in the quality of the industrial relations dialogue and in the responsibility of our trade unions to work together to meet the challenges that will make the Dunkirk plant the most competitive producer of primary aluminium in Europe.
Calls for industrial action are, of course, legal, but senior management would like to point out that we are at the start of a negotiation process involving many meetings, and that significant progress will be made if industrial relations remain calm.
We will continue to listen to all employees and you can rest assured that we will mobilise the resources needed to support everyone during this period of change.
Below is the timetable for the information-consultation procedure as agreed:
| Date | Body | Procedure |
| 17 April, 23 April, 2 May 2014 | Joint negotiating body | Negotiation meetings on a methods agreement prior to the opening of the procedure |
| 5 May afternoon | Central works Committee | Preparatory meeting by telephone conference |
| 6 May 2014 | Works committee | 1st meeting under “Book II” (industrial part): – Presentation of the Dunkirk plant transformation project – If necessary, appointment of the chartered accountant. |
| 7 May 2014 | DK works committee | Reply meeting – opening of the industrial part |
| 13 May | Workplace health and safety committee (CHSCT) | Preparatory meeting |
| 15 May 2014 | Workplace health and safety committee (CHSCT) | 1st meeting – opening of the CHSCT procedure: – Submission of the information document – If applicable, appointment of a CHSCT expert |
| 19 May 2014 afternoon | Central works committee | Preparatory meeting |
| 20 May 2014 | Central works committee | Opening of the procedure book I (social part) |
| 22 May 2014 | DK works committee | Reply to Opening of the procedure book I (social part) |
| 25 June 2014 | Central works committee | Preparatory meeting |
| 26 June 2014 | Central works committee | Submission of expert reports on Book II (industrial part) and Book I (social part) |
| 1 July 2014 | DK Works committee | Works committee reply to expert report |
| 2 July 2014 | Joint negotiating body | 1st negotiation meeting on social part |
| 4 July 2014 | Workplace health and safety committee (CHSCT) | Submission of the CHSCT expert report |
| 16 July 2014 | Joint negotiating body | 2nd negotiation meeting on the social part |
| 28 August 2014 | Joint negotiating body | 3rd negotiation meeting on the social part |
| no later than 2 September 2014 | Workplace health and safety committee (CHSCT) | Collection of CHSCT opinions |
| 2 September 2014 | Central works committee | Meeting to answer questions |
| 4 September 2014 | DK works committee | Works committee reply to answers to questions |
| 15 September 2014 | Central works committee | Preparatory meeting |
| 16 September 2014 | Central works committee | Collection of works committee opinions |
| 17 September 2014 | DK works committee | Collection of works committee opinions |