Long dispute at Jamaica alumina plant settled

KINGSTON, July 30 (Reuters) - Jamalco and a group of workers at the company's alumina refinery in Clarendon parish settled a long-running dispute on Wednesday, lifting the threat of a crippling work stoppage in Jamaica's bauxite sector.

The Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel signed a deal that will cost Jamalco J$68 million (US$958,000) following a marathon bargaining session that began on Tuesday, the union said.

The UTASP had claimed the company reneged on a promise made in 1997 that some workers would receive money in lieu of land promised to them. The Ministry of Labour mediated the dispute, in which 150 technical and supervisory workers twice threatened to strike.

The workers will be paid in two parts on Jan. 28 and June 28 next year.

"We are satisfied with this agreement and things can now go back to normal," St. Patrice Ennis, general secretary of the union, said in a statement.

Alcoa Inc. (AA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has a 55 percent stake in Jamalco. The Jamaica government holds the remaining 45 percent.

The company has the capacity to refine 1.425 million tonnes of alumina each year following a successful expansion program that ended last year. (Reporting by Horace Helps, editing by Jim Loney and Marguerita Choy)