Bulletin # 3 - February 24, 2003

NEGOTIATION DATES SET WITH COMPANY

On February 18, 2003, our local sent the following message to Alcan Site manager Roland Billings:

As per Section XIX of the current collective agreement, I write to advise the company of the United Steelworkers of America, Local Union 343’s intent to amend our collective agreement. We are prepared to meet to exchange proposals at you earliest convenience. Peter Boyle, President, Local 343

The Company will have a lawyer from Hicks Morley, John Saunders at the table this year. The last time the company used a lawyer sitting and participating in bargaining at the table was during the 1983 set of negotiations. Other members of the Alcan committee are Beth Young, Glen Delaney and Arnold Hare.

We received a call from the lawyer and have agreed on a number of dates to meet over the next three months. We will exchange proposals on March 4^th or 5^th and present an overview of our bargaining objectives with the company.

Our proposals have been structured based on the survey we conducted in December and union proposals based on changes we need to conform to our union’s policy and meetings with our local Chapter 16 of the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), most of whom are retires Alcan employees.

Proposed dates we have set to bargain are as follows:

March 25 , 26. ~ April 7, 8, 22, 23, 28, 29. ~ May 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Our agreement expires on May 17^th, 2003 and we are mandated by new Steelworker policy to reach a conclusion by the expiry date.

Bargaining is never easy, however trust, solidarity and support for the bargaining committee is essential to negotiate a good collective agreement. Our success for our issues depends on the support from all of our members, that’s solidarity; with it we will negotiate without it we beg.

Information from your bargaining committee:

In solidarity,

Peter Boyle Jim Buchanan Dave Lockridge Rob Parker Ken Scott