Worsley Alumina Workers Plan a 12-Hour Stoppage as Alcoa’s Takeover Hangs Over Pay Talks

Union members at South32’s Worsley Alumina operation in Western Australia’s South West are set to walk off the job for 12 hours on Tuesday 10 November, as bargaining for a new enterprise agreement runs into the pending sale of the business to Alcoa.

The action

Members of the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union will take the protected industrial action to coincide with a scheduled shutdown, The Age reported on 8 November. Business News reported that electrical workers at the refinery were planning to walk off the job as negotiations escalated.

The Alcoa factor

In July, Alcoa announced it would buy South32’s aluminium assets in a deal worth more than $8 billion, including South32’s 86% interest in Worsley Alumina, 100% of Hillside Aluminium, 33% of the MRN bauxite mine, 36% of the Brazil Alumina refinery and 40% of the Brazil Aluminium smelter. The deal is expected to be finalised in the first half of next year.

AMWU state secretary Steve McCartney said his union’s members, around 200 at South32, wanted certainty over wages and conditions before the change of ownership. He said South32’s wage offer was generally considered reasonable, but the sticking point was the short-term incentive payment.

“Over the past five years, workers have received an average bonus of 10 per cent, and all they’re asking for that payment to be secured in their enterprise agreement,” Mr McCartney said. “This isn’t about asking for more money. It’s about making sure workers don’t lose money they’ve consistently earned.”

ETU WA secretary Adam Woodage pointed to differences in working hours between the two companies. “Workers on shift and day-work patterns at Alcoa have a 36-hour working week, while at South32 Worsley, shift workers work a 42-hour week and day workers work 40 hours across four 10-hour days,” he said. “As the companies merge, workers will rightly question the disparity across alumina operations.”

South32’s response

“Employee remuneration at Worsley includes a range of benefits in addition to wage rates,” a South32 spokesperson said. “The existing short-term incentive policy will continue following completion of the transaction. This was communicated to all employees and union representatives.”

The company said it was engaging constructively with employees and their representatives. “We have plans in place to support ongoing operations at Worsley Alumina during this time and do not expect any impact on our operations,” the spokesperson said.

The dispute is a reminder that a pending sale can complicate bargaining: workers want existing benefits written into enforceable agreements before a new owner arrives, while the seller wants to avoid locking in new costs ahead of completion.

Sources: The Age, “Alcoa sale looms over Worsley Alumina workers’ move to down tools at WA mine” (8 November 2026); Business News, “South32 faces Worsley strike threat” (November 2026).